Finnair, with one of the world’s most modern and fuel-efficient aircraft fleets, aims to walk the talk in terms of sustainability in many ways.

Sustainability takes many forms as part of Finnair’s corporate responsibility activities. It’s necessary and very commendable to operate one of the world’s most fuel-efficient aircraft fleets – but what happens to the old aircraft? Some of them are sold or leased out, others are dismantled. Some parts are given to charities while others are recycled.

There are some ingenious examples. Parts of Finnair’s retired MD11 long-haul aircraft, for example, have been refashioned by Seos Design into energy efficient LED lamps. “I went to have a look around Finnair’s Technical Services facilities about 18 months ago and I observed things in the stores from which I got inspiration for new developments,” says Pekka Kumpula, creative director of Seos Design. He was especially interested in the potential of the support elements for video monitors, from which the LED lamps evolved.

Finnair has contributed to products designed by other, similarly-inspired companies. Old curtains and seat belts have been recycled into EDEL City bags, for instance, while entire discarded aircraft seats have been incorporated into emergency buses for the Finnish Red Cross. The vivid yellow material of old life vests have also lent themselves perfectly to re-use as high-visibility safety clothing for schoolchildren. Finnair Catering has also donated thousands of used blankets to the Red Cross for activities in Pakistan, as well as to charities in Finland including the Salvation Army and animal rescue organisations.

Click here to browse a comprehensive presentation of Finnair’s corporate responsibility policy and activity in the latest Corporate Responsibility Report.