AirAsia has been ranked among the top five airlines globally in the latest FTSE Russell ESG ratings, highlighting its progress in climate risk management, governance and operational efficiency.
In the 2024 assessments, AirAsia’s short-haul airlines were evaluated through Capital A’s disclosures on Bursa Malaysia, while AirAsia X and Thai AirAsia were rated on Bursa Malaysia and the Thai Stock Exchange, respectively.
Capital A recorded a score of 4.0 out of 5.0, AirAsia X scored 3.8, and Thai AirAsia earned 3.9, positioning AirAsia among the top performers compared with global airline peers.
The airline company also exceeded the global airline industry average in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, achieving 45% against 37% for peers with a market capitalisation above US$1 billion. Independent industry recognition further underscored the results.
In 2025, 42kft.com awarded AirAsia perfect 10 scores across nine evaluation categories, while AirlineRatings.com named it among the Top 3 Low-Cost Carriers in its inaugural Sustainability Award.
“Over the years, we have built the foundations that underpin our ESG ratings, but our sustainability efforts go far beyond any rating criteria. Our results reflect the discipline and hard work our teams have put into embedding sustainability into daily operations. We doubled down on fuel efficiency measures and continued investing in low-carbon technologies that deliver dual benefits, lowering fuel costs while reducing carbon emissions,” said Yap Mun Ching, Chief Sustainability Officer of AirAsia.
“At the same time, the technicalities of aviation sustainability are often not easily understood by our stakeholders. We work closely with our regulators, industry partners, and passengers to ensure our decarbonisation strategy is clear and delivers lasting impact for our business and the region,” she added.
AirAsia’s sustainability initiatives include embedding fuel efficiency measures, investing in low-carbon technologies, and enhancing passenger carbon transparency through AirAsia MOVE, which displays emissions per seat during flight search.
The airline is also involved in policymaking bodies, including ICAO’s Committee for Aviation Environmental Protection and Malaysia’s CORSIA Task Force, to manage climate-related regulatory risks.
Beyond environmental measures, the company is advancing social sustainability as a signatory of the UN Women and UN Global Compact’s Women’s Empowerment Principles and participates in the WEPs Corporate Action Lab, supporting family-friendly workplace initiatives that promote women’s labour force participation in line with the MADANI Economic Framework.
