02.09.25

SACBO GROUP ACHIEVES LEVEL 4 AIRPORT CARBON ACCREDITATION

The SACBO Group has been awarded by ACI Europe with Level 4 accreditation of the Airport Carbon Accreditation program. This represents a new and important step forward on the path to sustainability that the Milan Bergamo Airport management company has been pursuing for over a decade. The achievement is part of its “Net Zero Roadmap,” the decarbonization plan presented to ACI EUROPE in May 2024, which sets the goal of reaching net zero emissions for directly managed airport operations by 2045.

The Level 4 certification, in addition to attesting the continued reduction of the CO₂ footprint produced by aeronautical activities and services carried out in the airport domain, also recognizes the active involvement of stakeholders. This is an innovative and mandatory element for Level 4, which requires the participation of the entire airport community in the gradual and effective decarbonization process.

Obtaining Level 4 accreditation requires airports to work closely with all actors within their ecosystem, sharing and developing joint actions aimed at reducing emissions and transitioning to a low-carbon model. In this sense, SACBO is committed to a significant and measurable reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, consistent with climate neutrality objectives, aiming to cut not only direct emissions but also indirect ones linked to airport operations.

The goal is to extend emission-reduction initiatives to airlines, ground handlers, suppliers, local authorities, and strategic partners. This level goes beyond relative reduction targets, moving towards absolute emission reductions, and demands a structural and long-term commitment.

“This new certification – stated SACBO President Giovanni Sanga – confirms the validity and effectiveness of SACBO’s ongoing commitment to achieving increasingly tangible sustainability. This is evidenced by the reduction of CO₂ emissions, supported by the digitalization process and infrastructure works implemented by the airport operator, as well as by the introduction of new operational methodologies, developed in collaboration with ENAC and ENAV, which ensure compliance with schedules and the reduction of ground waiting times with engines running. It is also worth recalling that the previous advancement to Level 3 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation was achieved in 2020, when, despite the health emergency caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the SACBO Group continued to pursue its environmental sustainability goals.”

Level 4 represents one of the most advanced stages of the international environmental certification program promoted by ACI (Airports Council International), dedicated to managing and reducing CO₂ emissions generated by airport activities. It requires airports not only to continue monitoring and reducing their direct emissions, but also to define a long-term decarbonization strategy aligned with the global climate goals of the Paris Agreement, with the objective of limiting global warming to within 1.5°C.