Joby Releases First Environmental, Social, Governance Report

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation released its first Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) report on Thursday. The report (PDF) covers topics including the company’s approach to…

Image: Joby Aviation

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Joby Aviation released its first Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) report on Thursday. The report (PDF) covers topics including the company’s approach to safety strategy, the environmental impact of Joby and its aircraft, team member demographics and corporate governance structure. Its development was headed by newly appointed Joby sustainability lead Claire Boland.

“We intend to do everything we can to accelerate the aviation industry’s transition to climate-neutral flight,” said Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt. “This report marks an important step towards a deeper understanding of our environmental footprint and we look forward to building on this foundation in the years ahead.”

According to Joby, the report includes what it believes to be the eVTOL industry’s first comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA). Produced with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the LCA “estimates the life cycle greenhouse gas impact of the Joby aircraft to be 1.5x smaller than an electric car, assuming both vehicles are charged by 100% renewable electricity, used for commuting purposes, and manufactured at scale.” Joby noted that it plans to continue analyzing the projected environmental impact of its aircraft.

Kate O’Connor works as AVweb's Editor-in-Chief. She is a private pilot, certificated aircraft dispatcher, and graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.