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Isavia in the Community

Community participation

Isavia is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure that is the basis for aviation services in Iceland, connections to the wider world and flights between three continents over a large area. Iceland’s airports constitute important public-transport infrastructure. Of these airports, Keflavík Airport is the largest entry point into Iceland and is especially important for the transport of passengers and goods by air in and out of the country. Isavia’s operations are of considerable national interest, and its employees make every effort to conduct their work in a safe and efficient manner in harmony with the community. Isavia follows a policy of corporate social responsibility, with priorities in accordance with the company’s overall policy. The company is working on and participating projects linked to this policy in various ways. The common thread running through these projects is that they support us in being part of a pleasant journey for passengers, customers and other stakeholders.

Isavia’s operations are of considerable national interest, and its employees make every effort to conduct their work in a safe and efficient manner in harmony with the community.

Corporate social responsibility policy

The company’s social responsibility policy is based on expectations of corporate social responsibility as stated in the general state ownership policy, the Annual Accounts Act and the Public Procurement Act.



United nations global compact

Isavia is a party to the UN Global Compact. By virtue of its participation, Isavia undertakes to ensure that its polices and work practices are in accordance with the ten principles of the United Nations on human rights, work issues, environmental issues and actions against corruption. Isavia also undertakes to participate in projects supporting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and to publish information on the company’s social responsibility in accordance with the criteria of the UN Global Compact and the GRI.


UN WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT PRINCIPLES

Isavia signed the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, an international initiative spearheaded by UN Women and the UN Global Compact. As a signatory, Isavia undertakes to address equality issues with the company, demonstrate social responsibility and take the initiative in the field. The agreement contains seven criteria to guide the efforts of companies and institutions to foster equality and increase their participation of women in business. Signing this Convention is the natural continuation of other efforts made by the company under the banner of social responsibility and dovetails with the company’s objectives on gender equality.



UN sustainable development goals

Isavia has set itself a policy-making objective linked to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Special emphasis has been placed on Global Goals 3 (Good health and well-being), 5 (Gender equality), 7 (Affordable and clean energy), 8 (Decent work and economic growth), 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable cities and communities), 12 (Responsible consumption and production), 13 (Climate action) and 17 (Partnerships for the goals).


gri - Global Reporting Initiative

This is the fourth time Isavia is issuing an Annual and Corporate Social Responsibility Report. The report is modelled on the GRI Standards: Core criteria together with GRI-G4 special provisions for airports. These special provisions deal specifically with the challenges and opportunities faced by airports when it comes to sustainability. The aim of issuing this report is to provide transparency, a more in-depth view of the company’s activities and their effects on society at large. The information in the report is based on operations in 2019.


FESTA – ICELANDIC CENTRE FOR CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Isavia is an active member of Festa - the Icelandic Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility. The aim of Festa is to raise awareness of CSR in Icelandic companies and in the community and encourage research in this field.


responsible tourism

Responsible tourism is a motivational project with the aim of Icelandic tourism companies agreeing on some clear and simple actions concerning responsible tourism. The purpose of the project is to promote Iceland as a desirable tourist destination going forward, which supports sustainability for future generations of the country. Isavia has taken part in the project from the beginning.


ICELAND TOURISM CLUSTER

Isavia is a collaborative member of the Icelandic Tourism Cluster. The role of the company is to strengthen competitiveness and enhance the value of Icelandic tourism. It is a real addition to the tourism-related activities conducted elsewhere (e.g. by the Travel Industry Association, the Icelandic Tourist Board and Promote Iceland, to name but a few). The Iceland Tourism Cluster focuses on greater co-operation with these and other partners throughout Iceland.


Startup Tourism

Isavia has been one of the sponsors of the Startup Tourism project, which gives start-up companies in the tourism sector a chance to bring their business ideas to fruition. Ten companies are selected for participation in what has been called a ‘business accelerator’, and their representatives are given a ten-week training course by various experts to further develop their business ideas.


CIVIL PROTECTION AND ACCIDENT RESPONSE

Isavia plays an important role in the management system of the Civil Protection Department and plays a key role in response plans for search and rescue in the Icelandic air traffic control area and development of accident response plans on land. Full scale airport emergency plan exercises at the airport are an important part of Isavia’s preparedness as well as civil protection measures and their development. As a rule, four full scale airport emergency plan exercises are held every year throughout Iceland. Participation is without fail good, with more than 1,000 people from all response units usually taking part in these exercises as well as the general public. Since the company began holding full scale airport emergency plan exercises at airports, the response plans of the Civil Protection unit for multi-party accidents have developed in line with the working procedures used in airport exercises. The company’s exercises have therefore become a consultation forum for response entities for the development of knowledge and procedures that have been codified in regulations and the Civil Protection Act.

In 2019, airport emergency plan exercises were held at Hornafjörður Airport and at the smallest airports operated by the company, i.e. Gjögur and Grímsey. The importance of training airports is not less in smaller communities where the response, in the event of an incident, involves the entire community. Some 220 people from all response units took part in these exercises. Emergency plan exercises are an important social aspect, testing and training the community’s level of disaster resilience.

Full scale emergency plan exercises at the airport are an important part of Isavia’s preparedness as well as civil protection measures and their development.

ICELANDIC ASSOCIATION FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE (ICE-SAR) AND ICELANDIC RED CROSS

The Isavia and ICE-SAR Grant Fund has been active since 2012 and has, up to 2019, allocated close to ISK 84 million to search and rescue teams. At the beginning of 2018, a similar agreement was signed with the Red Cross. Isavia has been involved in the installation of group accident equipment throughout Iceland in co-operation with these partners. The equipment is thereby available should it prove necessary in the event of accidents or when people need to be housed in mass relief centres. Co-operation between Isavia, the Red Cross and ICE-SAR has been successful, and the volunteers from these organisations are an important parts of the airports’ response systems.

ISAVIA’S COMMUNITY FUND

The company has paid out grants annually from Isavia’s Community Fund. The grants have focused on environmental issues, humanitarian issues, preventative measures, aviation matters, arts, culture and education. In 2019, the Fund allocated ISK 8,350,000 towards a variety of projects. The decision has been made to revise the operation of the Fund, and as a result, no new applications will be accepted for the time being. In addition, the company supports various other charities by providing space for collection boxes in airports.

ISAVIA’S UNIVERSITY GRANTS

Grants have been allocated to students who are taking their master’s degrees and doctorates at Reykjavík University and the University of Iceland. There are many exciting areas of research within the aviation and tourism sector, including in the fields of engineering, technology, computer science, law, tourism studies, business studies and economics. Further information on grants for university students is available from the offices of the University of Iceland and Reykjavík University.