Making a positive impact, from schools to disaster relief

At Airbus, we believe that being a worldwide leader in the aviation industry carries with it a serious responsibility to society and future generations. As we continue to ramp up production and deliver hundreds of aircraft every year, we remain firmly committed to giving back to the communities where we operate.

We make good on that responsibility through our global community impact strategy, an approach to corporate giving that includes supporting vulnerable communities, developing tomorrow’s leaders, and safeguarding the planet’s future. 

Key to this strategy is the Airbus Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization that mobilizes Airbus products to deliver humanitarian relief where it’s needed. In late October, for example, the Airbus Foundation was able to assist the population of Acapulco, Mexico, in the aftermath of Hurricane Otis, a devastating Category 5 storm that left a trail of destruction and death in this city of 1 million. Together with Mexican airline Viva Aerobus, the Airbus Foundation transported 700 kg of relief items to the Mexican Red Cross leveraging the ferry flight of its latest A321neo from Hamburg, Germany.

Another Airbus Foundation initiative deployed in the region is Discovery Space, which seeks to inspire and help young people to develop curiosity to learn, to want to stay in school and to contribute as constructive global citizens. This year our team in Brazil and Chile deployed the Discovery Space programme benefiting over 100 children in these last editions and over 400 through the years.

The Airbus Foundation is one of three core channels of our community impact strategy. Another channel is corporate action. We partner with some of the world’s top nonprofit organizations to help communities in need, whether by building houses for families in extreme poverty or by providing tools for children to succeed in the classroom.

An example of these initiatives in Latin America is our partnership with TECHO, a youth-led NGO that is active across 18 countries in the region. TECHO engages over 1.4 million volunteers to combat poverty by building housing, water and sanitation solutions in informal settlements. As part of our ongoing collaboration with TECHO, a team of Airbus employees volunteered their time to build transitional housing in Brazil in late November and we are gearing up to build a new house in Chile.

+impact is the third channel of our approach to community impact. This dedicated digital platform enables Airbus employees to directly support their communities by donating, fundraising and volunteering for causes they care about. For instance, our Miami team gave back to the local community through The Education Fund, which directs a warehouse and distribution program that supplies donated learning materials to children. We built STEM-themed backpacks and donated them to the Ocean Bank-sponsored program, which made them available to Miami-Dade County Public Schools teachers for their classrooms. 

Additionally, in February, Airbus employees launched a donation campaign to bolster TECHO’s rebuilding of homes that were lost during the wildfires that raged across the southern and central regions of Chile. And in November, employees started a fundraiser to support the Mexican Red Cross’s disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Otis. All employee donations will be matched by Airbus.

+impact makes it easier than ever for Airbus employees to have a positive impact on communities around the world, complementing our corporate actions and the activities of the Airbus Foundation. These efforts are crucial to ensure that Airbus continues to play a vital societal role in the face of daunting challenges, from poverty to major natural disasters and crises.

I’ve only scratched the surface of the ways that Airbus is aiding and empowering communities in Latin America and beyond. We’re proud to continue harnessing our products, services, technology and expertise to provide humanitarian relief and support local organizations with the goal of achieving the common good.