Letter to Stakeholders

Those who do not try to create for themselves the future that they want, must be content with the future that happens for them.
(Draper L. Kauffman)

2018 was the fifth consecutive year of traffic volume growth for our airport system. This development is satisfying for us to the extent that it demonstrates the SEA Group’s ability to respond to market trends and meet the demand for medium/long-haul travel to and from the region which we serve. It however at the same time places a responsibility on us to manage the challenge of sustainable development in a balanced and far-sighted way.

Our commitment in this sphere is long-standing

Our strength is that we are not starting from zero. Over recent years, SEA has taken a committed and closely-studied approach to sustainability - as is extensively demonstrated in this document - while also applying rigorous accountability in terms of our performances and impacts from all aspects. 

Projects and major investments have been rolled out to deliver high-quality passenger services, worker security, energy-saving and environmental protection. 

Developing our human capital has been a key focus, with the concerns of staff on key work quality issues given particular attention, in addition to organisational well-being which has indeed improved over time through what has emerged as a high-quality and innovative welfare platform.  A comprehensive family-work balance plan has also been introduced to provide more flexible, inclusive and smart ways of working. 

We are also investing in the digital transformation to offer ever better services to passengers. 

We must also consider the achievement of the top European efficiency level in terms of CO₂ emissions containment, (certified) excellence for the guaranteed service to reduced mobility passengers and the numerous grants issued to support projects of significant social value.

Finally, we should not forget the supportive role that our airports provide to the region in terms of economic and social processes. Looking only to the impact generated within our airports themselves, Malpensa and Linate have respectively created 20 thousand and 11 thousand work units and an economic value of Euro 5 and 2.4 billion in terms of directly related activities.

Serving the ambitions of “Milano global city”

These figures - and the other content presented in this report - are indicative of the way in which we have concretely delivered upon our mission to generate and develop a “connectivity” asset, accompanying and supporting - as an international mobility hub - the growth of Milan and Lombardy as an attractive and innovative business centre, where cutting-edge manufacturing takes place, and also as a tourism, culture and training and lifestyle focused region. 

These winning features permit the “Milan System” to compete with other “global cities”.

The challenges ahead of us

2019 will be no less important and full of challenges on all fronts. The closure for three months of Linate airport and the transfer of operations to Malpensa require us to ensure a continuity of service for the region at high quality and security levels while, at the same time, preventing and minimising disruption and potential critical situations in terms of accessibility to Malpensa airport, while also facing challenges for the liveability of the region and surrounding areas. 

We continue to pursue these objectives through involving all regional actors and partners.

Parallel to managing this contingency, we will focus on relaunching the sustainability plan with defined objectives, both with regards to our decisions and future actions. 

This will be an integral part of the Business Plan, reflecting the fact that the qualitative leap which we intend to execute means transitioning from helpful actions to a real strategic plan, in which sustainability is fully integrated into the business on the basis of innovative measures which reconcile the focus on stakeholders with the creation of lasting and shared value.