Home » About Eurocopter » Vision and Strategy » Environment » Environment

Vision and Strategy

http://www.cleansky.eu

Eurocopter is a founding member of the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative (JTI), a wide scale European research effort – supported by the European Union and major aeronautical industry groups – to propose technological solutions for meeting the environmental goals set by the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE).

The initiative disposes of a budget of €1.6 billion, equally shared between the European Union (DG Research) and the industry. The initiative aims to speed up technological breakthrough developments and shorten the time to market for new solutions tested on Full Scale Demonstrators. Reducing sound level, gas emissions and the impact of the aviation industry on the environment are the main targets of the initiative. Eurocopter is also co-leader of the Rotorcraft ITD, a leading project within the Clean Sky initiative.

Clean Sky Implementation
- 16 countries
- 86 organizations
- 54 industries including 20 SMEs
- 15 research centers
- 17 universities
Eurocopter Is Flying Blue

Eurocopter is fully committed to adopting sustainable environmental business practices. To this end, Eurocopter has developed a two-fold blue strategy that focuses on harnessing innovation to protect the environment as well as introducing eco-friendly design and manufacturing processes. Eurocopter has conducted extensive research on reducing the sound levels and gas emissions of its helicopters, and its production sites in France, Germany and Spain have been awarded ISO 14001 certification.

Clean Sky

Eurocopter is a founding member of the European Clean Sky initiative aimed at sustainable air travel.

REACH

The Group has introduced an action plan in response to the European REACH regulation concerning the use of hazardous substances, so as to be fully compliant by the specified dates.

A Key Environmental Policy

It is extremely important for the company to comply with regulations and laws, such as the REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of CHemicals) European regulation. Eurocopter fully endorses REACH's objectives and the responsibility the legislation places on all members of the value chain to enhance the protection of human health and the environment, and to increase the knowledge base on the hazards and the risks of chemical substances and their uses. While not a producer of such substances, Eurocopter is still held to REACH standards as a downstream user.

Meeting Stringent Requirements

Since REACH was adopted at the end of 2006, Eurocopter has shifted its focus from the legislative process to the implementation and preparation for increased operational actions in line with the enforcement of these regulations.

Being compliant to REACH obligations is a very important challenge for the whole aeronautics industry but also an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to safety in products and operations to benefit to employees, customers and the environment.

A transversal organization has been set up at Eurocopter industry level with a team dedicated to this subject in order to ensure that all tools and processes integrate applicable laws and regulations, including the REACH Regulation requirements.

Eurocopter is working closely with its suppliers to ensure that registration of raw material substances, which began in 2008, is completed and to ensure that those raw materials are available for use.

In addition, a number of initiatives throughout the supply chain are aimed at assuring conformity and compliance, checking our own industrial processes and providing relevant information to our customers and employees.
Eurocopter is actively working to develop new solutions, involving qualification and implementation of substitutes into our products.

Eurocopter is fully committed to REACH and will continue to do its best to respond to all facets of REACH regulations and to meet applicable requirements within the timelines set by REACH legislation.