Participating airport concessions to be certified annually as part of overall expansion of sustainability efforts.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is launching an expanded concessions sustainability program as part of its on-going sustainability efforts. The new initiative, announced at Wednesday’s Board of Directors meeting, will grant “Green Concessions” certifications to participating airport concessionaries. 

“Concessions sustainability is a significant part of the Airports Authority’s overall Corporate Social Responsibility Plan,” said Airports Authority Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Chryssa Westerlund. “As airport shops and restaurants rebound from the pandemic, the Green Concessions program aims to strengthen our mutual partnership to benefit their businesses, the airport and the environment in meaningful ways that our customers can see.”

Current sustainability practices carried out by the concessionaires have been making positive impacts for many years; however, the expanded, voluntary program will create greater incentives for airport concessions to adopt more sustainable business practices and certify annually. Green Concessions Program participants will be listed on the Airports Authority’s website, along with easy to identify decals added to Reagan National and Dulles International storefronts as concessionaries are individually certified. Participants will be evaluated annually in the following categories: commitment and awareness; waste reduction and diversion; energy usage; water usage and conservation; air quality and emissions; and social responsibility. 

The Airports Authority, through its concessions manager MarketPlace Development, has committed itself to assisting concessionaires who choose to participate in the program, developing sustainable goals and encouraging the success of individual shops and restaurants.