Air New Zealand has appointed Kiri Hannifin to the newly created post of Chief Sustainability Officer, an executive position that recognises the importance of sustainability across all parts of the airline’s operations and the company’s increased focus on reducing its environmental effect.

Director of Corporate Affairs, Quality, Health & Safety, and Sustainability at Countdown is Ms. Hannifin. Since 2017, she has directed the company’s efforts to cut emissions, overseen the health, safety, and well-being of its 21,000 employees, and supervised the company’s internal and external stakeholders.

Greg Foran, chief executive officer of Air New Zealand, asserts that sustainability is the most important issue facing the airline’s future and calls for a leader who will be a committed public advocate for the adjustments that all stakeholders must implement to effect meaningful change.

Mr Foran says, “As we rebuild Air New Zealand, we need to advance the extensive work already undertaken to become a truly sustainable airline. Kiri’s experience in driving change across the supply chain, engaging customers via tangible measures such as removing plastic bags from stores and diverting food waste from landfill will help our efforts move to a new level,”

Kiri Hannifin will begin her role for Air New Zealand on December 5. She graduated from Canterbury University with an LLB and a BA in Political Science.