Sustainability Column - A year in review with Briony Farmer
- 28th Feb 2025
As Sustainability Co-ordinator here at Royal Air Forces Charitable Trust Enterprises (RAFCTE) my days are varied, and the job can include anything from data analysis, to chairing our Sustainability Working Group to learning about industry best-practice.
In January, I celebrated my first full year at RAFCTE and I’m looking forward to sharing with you some new initiatives that we have planned for the upcoming year. We strive to implement change, to both the planning and operational delivery of RIAT, which means that we can have a positive impact on customer facing and internally across the business.
With an event like ours and the nature of being an airshow, we consider our impact in two parts. The first comes with delivering a large-scale outdoor event, and the second is that we showcase aviation. Looking at the former, in this space we are not alone. Summer events across the UK are constantly looking for ways in which they can further mitigate their impact and sustainability is becoming increasingly considered. There is a lot to be learnt across the event industry, whether that is through resourcing power, water or considering travel to the site, the key is to constantly strive for improvement. It becomes even more of a challenge operating on a greenfield site, like ours at RAF Fairford, where we can’t leave any traces of the event behind.
That brings us on nicely to the second part of considering our impact, which is operating an airshow. We recognise the challenges we face as an airshow, but we are proud to have a platform where the latest in sustainable aviation can be showcased to the public; we are looking forward to further highlighting this in future years. Last year we were fortunate enough to host the RAF Typhoon display on a Sustainable Aviation Fuel blend for the very first time with help of the RAF and our headline sponsors BAE Systems. Looking ahead to future years, 2027 will be a milestone year where we are set to welcome Hybrid Air Vehicles and their Airlander aircraft to the Cotswolds.
In a broader view, sustainability fits within the aim of RIAT’s parent charity, the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, who are aiming to inspire young people to reach their potential in air, space and STEM. Ultimately, under 18s who come to the event for free will be inspired by what they see and experience at the show including STEM, particularly in our Techno Zone. These visitors may then potentially opt into a career in the field. This could see an attendee of RIAT going on to develop the future of sustainable aircraft – this makes our event and the opportunities we create for visitors essential.
In the last 12 months we’ve also made some positive changes internally to improve cross-company knowledge, which is instrumental, this has further focused our organisation on our sustainability journey. For example, we have introduced a new sustainability steering group at senior management level as well as a sustainability working group which I chair monthly involving department representatives from across the business to discuss industry best-practice and our ISO20121: 2024 Sustainable Events Management System. Cross-company learning and education is key to progressing on our sustainability journey and I am pleased with the impact that this has had so far.
