Boeing Policy Review, Essay Example

The environmental policy of Boeing focuses on reducing CO2 emissions and use of natural resources, as well as designing new products that use less fuel. The below review will analyze the internal policies and targets regarding Boeings’ green initiatives.

Environmental Policy and Codes

One of the main initiatives supported by Boeing is to make aircrafts more efficient, and less dependent on traditional fuel. One of the most recent, relevant policy acts that were created to regulate Boeing was The Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), which stated that the company had to pay the cost of mitigating the effect of its activities in Everett (World Resource Institute, 1998). As a result, an agreement of mitigation was reached between the management of mitigation cost between the City of Everett and the Boeing Company. While the city and the state allowed Boeing to expand its manufacturing plant, it also considered the environmental impact of the increased industrial activity. Operating in a highly natural resource-dependent industry, and a regulated business environment, Boeing needs to ensure that it has relevant internal policies in place to reduce its expenses regarding mitigation costs.

There are several projects the company is currently involved in to reduce the impact of its industrial operations on the environment. In 2013, Boeing restored the habitat in the Duwamish Waterway area,   (Boeing, 23), while in Salt Lake City, the company created a partially solar powered facility. Boeing is currently working on increasing the use of solar power in its many facilities, and aims to gain a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for its manufacturing sites, which means that recycled materials are used in construction, rain water is collected and used, while making sure that solid landfills created by the company are reduced to zero.

Analysis Of Boeing’s Green Initiatives

Boeing is currently focusing on reducing the use of potentially hazardous materials when building airplanes. The life-cycle of airplanes is long, however, there are some parts that contain chrome, which is hard to recycle. According to the Boeing Environmental Report (Boeing, 7), “Currently, Boeing is testing and using new solutions such as hexavalent chrome-free primers for its AH-64 Apache helicopter, the V-22 Osprey, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler and P-8 programs”.

According to Wood (9), industrial processes accounted for 29 percent of the 2010 total global emissions of greenhouse gases. Land use accounted for 25 percent, and aviation for 2 percent. The report, created by the Regional Director of Biofuel Strategy at Boeing Commercial Airplanes states that there is currently a great demand from major airlines for bio-fuel operated airplanes, which would have 50-90 percent less CO2 emission during their life-cycle than those using traditional fuel. The Boeing Environmental Impact Report of 2014 (32) also states that the company encourages innovation within the organization and supports employees to develop new technologies that are more environment-friendly. As the report (Boeing, 32) states: “Through thousands of employee teams, as well as dozens of volunteer-based Green Teams, Boeing employees are finding ways to reduce energy and water use, and the generation of solid and hazardous waste”. Boeing also has a conservation award, which supports research projects for developing new, greener ways of operation, as well as increasing the efficiency of airplanes, while reducing their fuel consumption.

Conclusion

Overall, the above review of Boeing’s policies and initiatives showed that the company encourages innovation, and aims for a hundred percent industry and government policy compliance. The programs supported by the company, such as bio-fuel research and former industrial site regeneration show a true commitment from the leadership to make Boeing’s operations more sustainable.

Works Cited

Boeing Company. “The Boeing Company 2014 Environment Report. Build a Better Planet.” 2014. Web.

Wood, Ellie, “Sustainable Biofuel: Creating a New Fuel for Aviation” 2014. Web.

World Resource Institute. “The Boeing Company: Environmental Mitigation Costs” 1998. Web.