Greener flights take to the skies slowly
Saudi Arabia is undertaking one of the most ambitious aviation expansions in the world, with Saudi Air Navigation Services (SANS) at the center of this growth. As the Kingdom advances Vision 2030 and prepares to host events that will attract millions of additional visitors, the airspace above it is becoming more strategically important.
SANS, a leading air navigation service provider in the MENA region, aims to help the wider aviation ecosystem become cleaner, more efficient, and more resilient. The company’s objective is to deliver long-term value, responsibly, across every part of its operations.
Sustainability at SANS is embedded within its corporate strategy, with a governance model structured across three tiers: the Sustainability Steering Committee, the ESG Committee, and the Sustainability Community. This approach is reinforced by internationally recognized frameworks, including ISO 31000 and the COSO Internal Control.
The company’s financial reporting is prepared in accordance with IFRS, and its first ESG report was published this year, developed with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards. This provides investors, regulators, and partners with internationally comparable visibility of SANS‘s ESG performance.
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SANS prioritizes long-term financial planning and disciplined capital allocation to enable strategic and sustainable growth. The company’s financial planning provides a structure to assess priorities, manage risks, and direct resources toward areas that strengthen long-term resilience and sector readiness.
Capital allocation decisions are assessed against a broader set of criteria than financial return alone, including safety, operational efficiency, and environmental performance. The company introduces a structured policy framework for treasury and investment decisions, protecting risk-adjusted returns while preserving liquidity, through its Full Cash Investment initiative.
One of the key benefits of this approach is that it allows SANS to fund long-term sustainability initiatives internally, avoiding the need for external debt. This, in turn, strengthens the company’s ability to invest in initiatives that create long-term operational and environmental value.
SANS has strengthened its operational performance through continued improvements in the invoicing cycle, timely supplier payment practices, and supplier satisfaction.
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At SANS, local content is central to its procurement approach. The company aims to support local manufacturers, develop national capabilities, and retain more economic value within the Kingdom.
Supplier satisfaction is treated as a key outcome, with a formal supplier feedback survey capturing supplier needs, improvement opportunities, and challenges. This approach has translated into strong procurement performance, with the Supply Chain team awarded the globally recognized CIPS Procurement Excellence Award in 2025.
The registered supplier base has expanded competition, strengthening supply chain resilience and creating wider opportunities for Saudi SMEs. Structured negotiations have delivered savings comfortably ahead of target, demonstrating the effectiveness of SANS‘s procurement strategy.
For an air navigation services provider, one of the most important sustainability levers is airspace design itself. In 2025, SANS managed more than one million air traffic movements safely across an area exceeding two million square kilometers. Growth and reliability progressed together, supported by continued capital investment in airspace modernization, technology, and infrastructure.
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The Saudi Future Airspace Concept is helping reduce fuel burn, flight inefficiencies, and holding times. This is achieved through initiatives such as Free Route Airspace, Performance-Based Navigation, continuous climb and descent operations, and reduced separation at major airports. These operational improvements directly support the Civil Aviation Environmental Sustainability Program (CAESP), the Kingdom’s national environmental roadmap for aviation.
SANS serves as a primary execution arm across the program’s seven environmental pillars, with a national commitment to reduce flight emissions by 30 percent by 2032. The company’s target is to achieve ISO 14001 certification in 2026, demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability.
Growth, safety, regulation, and ESG are supporting one another at SANS. Strong governance protects safety, while efficient operations help reduce emissions. Disciplined financial management funds the technology and infrastructure that enable both, creating a more sustainable and resilient aviation ecosystem.
