Built to last. Designed to matter.
Environmental. Social. Governance. Our commitment to responsible aviation.
OVERVIEW
Our approach to sustainability
We act today with responsibility for tomorrow. Our initiatives span environmental, social, and governance practices — demonstrating our commitment to the world we live in and to future generations.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Lighter seats, lighter footprint.
Every kilogram saved at 35,000 feet compounds across millions of flights. Weight reduction is our greatest environmental contribution.
SOCIAL
People first, always.
From Portadown to our global supply chain, we invest in equality, diversity, inclusion and the long-term wellbeing of our teams.
GOVERNANCE
Transparent, accountable, owned.
Owned by AVIC, one of the world's leading aerospace companies, we operate to the highest standards of corporate responsibility.
FRAMEWORK
Aligned with global priorities
We support all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and have identified nine where we can make the greatest impact:
SDG/01
No poverty
Sustained, fair employment across our manufacturing base in Northern Ireland.
SDG/03
Good health and wellbeing
Health, safety, and mental wellbeing programmes across every site.
SDG/04
Quality education
Apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and continuous professional development.
SDG/05
Gender equality
Equal opportunity hiring, pay parity, and active support for women in engineering.
SDG/08
Decent work and economic growth
Investment in skilled local manufacturing roles in Portadown and Banbridge.
SDG/09
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Engineering-led R&D in lightweight seating platforms and dynamic test facilities.
SDG/12
Responsible consumption and production
Material reduction, recycled content, and circular thinking across the seat lifecycle.
SDG/13
Climate action
Lighter seats reduce fuel burn — our single greatest contribution to lower emissions.
SDG/14
Peace, justice and strong institutions
Anti-slavery, anti-corruption and ethical sourcing across every tier of our supply chain.
Environmental sustainability
A challenge we have begun, and recognise we must finish
Environmental sustainability is a significant challenge for the aviation industry. We have started the work to reduce our impact — and we know there is more to do.
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weight matters
Every kilogram matters at 35,000 feet
By designing lighter seats without compromising comfort or durability, we help airlines reduce fuel burn across millions of flights. This remains the single most meaningful environmental contribution we can make.
-XY%
Average seat weight reduction across our fully flat platforms
21,000+
Seats in service worldwide, multiplying every gram saved
Manufactoring
Reducing waste.
Lowering emissions.
Continuously improving.
Lowering emissions.
Continuously improving.
Energy & emissions
Site-level monitoring of energy use, with phased reductions through equipment upgrades, LED conversion and building envelope improvements at our Portadown facilities.
Material efficiency
Smarter nesting, near-net-shape forming and recycled-content composites reduce raw material consumption across the seat structure.
Waste reduction
Closed-loop recovery for metals, foams and packaging. Continuous-improvement programmes across every cell on the production floor.
Logistics
Optimised inbound and outbound flows to reduce transport emissions, with a preference for sea freight and consolidated shipments.
Supplier sustainability
We work with suppliers who share our values
Responsible sourcing is essential across our entire supply chain. We expect every partner — from raw material producers to sub-tier specialists — to operate to the same standards of transparency, ethics, and environmental stewardship that we hold ourselves to.
Code of conduct for every active supplier
Ethical sourcing requirements covering labour, materials and provenance
Continuous audit programme across critical-tier vendors
Carbon and waste reporting integrated into supplier reviews
Equality, diversity & inclusion
Everyone who works for Thompson is aware of the value we place on diversity
Opportunities are available to all employees and applicants irrespective of protected characteristics.
No individual will be treated less favourably on these grounds — across recruitment, development, promotion and reward.
No individual will be treated less favourably on these grounds — across recruitment, development, promotion and reward.
Engineering integration
Beautiful design means nothing if it can't fly.
At Thompson, designers and engineers work side by side. Every concept is tested against three questions before it leaves the studio.
Question 01
Can we build this?
Manufacturing capability, tooling, supply chain — assessed at concept, not in retrospect.
Question 02
Can we certify this?
Dynamic, static, fire and abuse testing modelled before geometry is locked.
Question 03
Can we deliver this — 100% on time?
Programme planning, lead times and risk reviewed against our 100% on-time delivery record.
Corporate Governance
Transparency. Accountability. Responsibility.
Thompson Aero Seating is owned by AVIC, one of the world's leading aerospace companies. We operate with a clear governance framework that runs from board level through to every cell on the production floor.
Corporate Governance
Sustainability brochure
A single document covering our environmental, social and governance commitments — for procurement, partners and prospective colleagues.
An inspired flying experience, powered by people.
