The Green Cabin Alliance (GCA) has announced the formation of its advisory board as it continues its push towards setting global standards for the sustainability of aircraft interiors.
In addition to representatives joining from the two largest manufacturers of commercial aircraft, Airbus and Boeing, the board will also feature major airline brands Alaska Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways.
The four advisory board members will be: Karen Hills, sustainability leader for payloads engineering at Boeing; Eric Ezell, head of cabin and cargo innovation at Airbus; Christopher Dela Rosa, principal cabin product and experience manager at Alaska Airlines; and Catherine Barter, assistant manager, customer experience design – aircraft seating product at Cathay Pacific Airways.
Founded to help bring together experts and organisations from the aircraft interiors industry, the GCA aims to reduce the environmental impact of aviation cabin interiors throughout the product lifecycle, from design and manufacture to usage and disposal.
Its newly announced advisory board, which will meet four times a year, represents critical skill sets and viewpoints from across the industry. It will also oversee the operation of the organisation, and contribute to the strategic direction and thought leadership of the GCA.
“Our members make the Green Cabin Alliance what it is, and help to push us towards our industry goals,” said Elina Kopola, founder and director of the GCA. “The advisory board will act as strategic leadership for GCA and ensure we continue to set and achieve stringent goals for circularity in the industry. We look forward to the collaboration that this new step can bring to our organisation.”
“Our common goal is to reduce the impact on our planet while maintaining and growing the societal benefits of air transportation,” said Hills of Boeing. “The Green Cabin Alliance is doing exactly that – bringing together different members in the value chain to work towards our common goal. Cabin interiors present a challenge and an opportunity for collaboration – where Boeing and our partners can work together to improve sustainability.”
“It’s a privilege to be able to join this alliance as we can only succeed through collaboration and exchange,” said Ezell of Airbus. “We need pioneers and allies in all parts of our industry, who share the passion to bring sustainability into all aspects of our work. Hence, the Green Cabin Alliance represents a great opportunity to meet and connect, share best practices and build momentum for a more sustainable cabin and cargo in the future.”
“I’m fortunate enough to work for a company that recognises this tremendous responsibility we all share and has made a strong public commitment with the goal of carbon net zero by 2040,” said Dela Rosa at Alaska Airlines. “As an interiors expert, I would love to leave my space better than I found it and as an advisory board member, I look forward to helping grow the mission and messaging of the GCA with like-minded experts.”
“I have been wanting Cathay Pacific Airways to join the Green Cabin Alliance for some time now,” said Barter at Cathay Pacific Airways. “Cathay wants to be the number one airline in the world; we should show up for the tough conversations, such as how we are going to reach our 2050 target. Cathay Pacific Airways is already an adopter of sustainable aviation fuel but we also have an incredible opportunity to help inform and make change within the industry. I want to help advocate for this change and the educational aspect. People must know how to make an informed decision that is also tangible and based on the global picture.”
