Airbus has joined the United Nations Global Compact, an international initiative which brings businesses together with UN agencies, civil society, and government to advance ten universal principles in the areas of the environment, human rights, labour, and anti-corruption.

Launched in 2000, the Global Compact is a voluntary initiative to promote and expand responsible corporate citizenship and provide the latest innovative and practical solutions to the challenges of globalization.

"Airbus is a global company and signing the Global Compact is an important milestone in our responsible approach to our global business. The full integration of environmental and social considerations into our business is vital to the sustainable development of our sector," said Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Louis Gallois.

With over 3,100 participating companies and hundreds of other stakeholders from more than 100 countries, the Global Compact is the world's largest voluntary corporate citizenship initiative.

"We welcome Airbus to our ever-growing global network," said Georg Kell, Executive Director of the Global Compact. "Airbus' commitment underlines the growing consensus that a value-based approach to strategy and operations can both drive business success and contribute to a more stable global market," he said.

Today, air transport plays a vital role to the modern economy, generating about eight per cent worldwide GDP and 29 million jobs. Its impact on climate change, expressed in emissions of CO2 is limited to two per cent of all man-made emissions. This is being achieved by continuously improving our products and our processes. Aircraft today are 75 per cent quieter and 70 per cent more fuel efficient than 40 years ago.

Airbus' environmental approach is pioneering and covers the entire life cycle of an aircraft from concept to operation to decommissioning and recycling. Airbus became the first and only aerospace company to be recognised to meet the world's most comprehensive environmental standards ISO 14001 on such a wide scope. Airbus will be officially awarded ISO 14001 corporate certification in mid June.

Joining the Global Compact will help Airbus foster innovative synergies by entering into a collaborative international network of leading manufacturers, including major customer airlines, to help contribute to a sustainable future.