European airports addressing environmental sustainability on websites
Kujala, Emilia (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052717025
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052717025
Tiivistelmä
Sustainability is a growing priority among different businesses, in order to meet the needs of various stakeholders, and to ensure a healthy future business operation. The aviation sector benefits the society many ways, for example by enchasing the economy and connectivity, however, the expected growth, negative environmental impacts, challenges in decarbonizing the industry, and growing criticism towards aviation pose risks for the future operations.
The Earth is warming faster than ever in the recorded history, and aviation’s negative impact on the environment is an increasing concern among society. Sustainability communication has a vital role in enhancing people’s understanding, however it is considered as challenging.
Airports are key players in the aviation ecosystem from enabling aircraft to take off and land, to promoting sustainable transition within the sector. Airports face the increasing pressure to meet the future growing demand but operate in a sustainable manner. Websites are widely used as a communication tool by different businesses, and they are commonly used also for corporate and sustainability related communication.
The purpose of this thesis was to find out how ten economically important European airports address environmental sustainability on websites. The scope of the study was limited to environmental sustainability due to the growing concerns towards aviation’s negative environmental impact, and previous studies’ suggested need for better communication. The study focused on how airports utilize websites as a communication tool from two point of views: what environmental sustainability themes airports communicate through websites, and what type of content formats are being used for efficient communication. The study was conducted by using a qualitative content analysis.
The findings suggest that environmental sustainability is addressed broadly as part of airports’ website corporate communication. Additionally, the findings revealed that airports have various strategies and plans to reduce negative environmental impact. Moreover, efficient website communication can be supported with videos, images, and infographics to convey information.
The Earth is warming faster than ever in the recorded history, and aviation’s negative impact on the environment is an increasing concern among society. Sustainability communication has a vital role in enhancing people’s understanding, however it is considered as challenging.
Airports are key players in the aviation ecosystem from enabling aircraft to take off and land, to promoting sustainable transition within the sector. Airports face the increasing pressure to meet the future growing demand but operate in a sustainable manner. Websites are widely used as a communication tool by different businesses, and they are commonly used also for corporate and sustainability related communication.
The purpose of this thesis was to find out how ten economically important European airports address environmental sustainability on websites. The scope of the study was limited to environmental sustainability due to the growing concerns towards aviation’s negative environmental impact, and previous studies’ suggested need for better communication. The study focused on how airports utilize websites as a communication tool from two point of views: what environmental sustainability themes airports communicate through websites, and what type of content formats are being used for efficient communication. The study was conducted by using a qualitative content analysis.
The findings suggest that environmental sustainability is addressed broadly as part of airports’ website corporate communication. Additionally, the findings revealed that airports have various strategies and plans to reduce negative environmental impact. Moreover, efficient website communication can be supported with videos, images, and infographics to convey information.