Airbus India Chief Proposes Corporate Spending on Voluntary SAF as CSR
Jurgen Westermeier, Airbus India chief, urged the Indian government to recognize corporate spending on voluntary Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) programs as valid under mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This shift could unlock significant capital for SAF demand, support green energy development, enhance India’s energy security, and create jobs by fostering a domestic SAF industry.
Jurgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director of Airbus India and South Asia, proposed integrating corporate expenditures on airlines' voluntary SAF programs into India’s CSR framework. He emphasized that recognizing such spending as CSR would unlock a substantial capital pool, transforming CSR compliance into a driver for sustainable aviation and energy sovereignty. India’s fast-growing civil aviation market holds strong potential for producing SAF, which could enhance energy security and sovereignty by reducing dependence on imported fuels. Westermeier highlighted the economic benefits, projecting the creation of 1.1 to 1.4 million jobs across the SAF value chain and the productive use of approximately 230 million tonnes of surplus agricultural residue. He stressed the need for coordinated efforts among government, industry, and academia to develop a domestic SAF industry, requiring significant investment. Currently, certain profitable companies in India must allocate at least 2% of their profits to CSR, and by including voluntary SAF contributions under CSR, the government could encourage substantial climate change mitigation investments from the aviation sector.
