iGA Istanbul Airport has released its 2024 Sustainability Report, which has been prepared using a ‘double materiality’ analysis, an evaluation of a companies sustainability from two perspectives (impact materiality and financial materiality), to assess the significance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.
Placing sustainability at the core of its strategic plans and operations, iGA Istanbul Airport completed 2024 with greenhouse gas emissions 1.4% lower than the previous year and 10.5% below year-end forecasts. Committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, iGA also revised its 2030 renewable energy target from 50% to 90%.
As part of this commitment, the airport’s Eskişehir Solar Power Plant (SPP) project is under development, covering approximately 3 million square meters with an investment of €212 million and a planned capacity of 199.32 megawatts. The plant is expected to generate 340 million kilowatt-hours of energy annually. Once operational in the final quarter of 2025, iGA Istanbul Airport will become the world’s first major airport to fully meet its electricity needs through solar energy.
Scientific collaboration with TÜBİTAK for climate resilience
To ensure its operations are resilient amidst changing climate conditions, iGA is evaluating future scenarios based on scientific data. In collaboration with TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MAM), iGA has launched the Istanbul Airport Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan. This initiative uses regional climate simulations to analyse the potential impact of climate change on airport operations, assess risks, and develop long-term adaptation strategies.
Selahattin Bilgen, CEO of iGA Istanbul Airport, emphasised that the Sustainability Report serves not only as a communication tool but also as a means of sharing learning and areas for improvement. He expressed pride in leading by example in global aviation with sustainability best practices. Bilgen also recalled the airport’s commitment to transformation in aviation by signing the Aviation4All Declaration in Athens in December 2024, as one of 43 pioneering organisations.
“Given our prominent role in both global aviation and Türkiye’s economy, we bear a huge responsibility: to contribute to building a sustainable future,” he said. “We approach this mission in a multifaceted way. We prioritise environmental sustainability projects to reduce our carbon footprint, improve energy efficiency, and use natural resources more effectively. Through socially responsible projects, we aim to enhance quality of life for a wide range of stakeholders – from our employees to local communities. This holistic approach enables us to work beyond the traditional expectations of an airport, as a visionary hub shaping the future of the entire aviation industry.”
Key highlights from the iGA Istanbul Airport 2024 Sustainability Report
• iGA Academy hosted 20,494 training sessions aimed at enhancing aviation skills, with satisfaction rates exceeding 95%.Additionally, to strengthen sector partnerships and knowledge exchange, the iGA Academy Stakeholder Advisory Board was established in collaboration with 24 stakeholders in 2024;
• Experience Principles and Guest Experience Policy, introduced to offer an inclusive and wellbeing-focused airport service, increased the airport’s customer experience maturity score from 3.73 in 2022 to 4.04 in 2024. “Special Guest Rooms” and the ‘Special Passenger Service Point’ were renamed as ‘Silent Rooms’. A live connection feature was added to the indoor navigation tool ‘Rota Yanımda’ on the Istanbul Airport mobile app to further support independent travel for visually impaired guests;
• Under the Advanced Waste Separation Program, an average of 164 tons of waste was sorted daily, with 34.07% recycled. Sensors were integrated into 262 on-site waste bins to optimise emissions related to waste collection;
• To transform the airport ecosystem, process improvement efforts were initiated with the airport’s highest waste-producing companies;
• In line with the Water Security priority, reverse osmosis systems were commissioned to reuse drainage and treated water in cooling systems, making water usage circular. In 2024, iGA Istanbul Airport met 27% of its total water consumption through reclaimed water.