In the eighth of our winning stories from 2025’s Airline Strategy Awards, which were held in London on 14 July, JetBlue Airways was recognised in the ESG Leadership category
Judges agreed that across both sustainability and diversity, JetBlue Airways is an industry leader, with policies, strategies and actions that demonstrate its commitment to those areas.
“They are doing a great job – they have a lot to be proud of,” a judge states.
Among its achievements, the airline has some of the industry’s most ambitious sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) offtake and useage targets, has invested in firms that are pioneering environmental technologies, and boasts industry-leading female representation in the C-suite while recognising and supporting organisational diversity in its broadest sense.
Crucially, judges noted that Joanna Geraghty’s appointment as chief executive in 2023 broke new ground, as she became the first ever female chief executive of a major US airline, taking charge of a leadership team featuring more than 50% women.
Indeed, Airline Business’s annual C-suite survey shows JetBlue consistently having the highest proportion of women in leadership roles of any airline globally over the past seven years.
JetBlue has also been focused on doubling race and ethnic minority representation at the officer and director level.
But it is not just in the C-suite that diversity has been a focus, judges observed. Diversity and inclusion plays a central role throughout the business, driven by a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Group that undertakes various initiatives, such as growth and development programmes aimed at providing more accessible and affordable pathways into the airline for under-represented communities.
It has also instituted a more inclusive workspace, including de-gendering its uniform, hair and make-up policies.
Meanwhile, central to JetBlue’s sustainability plan is its commitment to SAF, setting itself a goal to reach 10% useage by 2030.
Recently, JetBlue marked the first-ever regular supply of SAF for commercial air travel in New York City.
And notably, JetBlue was the first airline to join The Climate Pledge, a commitment to meet the Paris Agreement’s net-zero target 10 years early by 2040, joining the likes of Best Buy, Mercedes-Benz, Uber and Verizon.
Moreover, JetBlue founded JetBlue Technology Ventures in 2016 – it was recently sold to private equity – with a mission to invest in early stage start-ups focused on improving travel and hospitality, with one pillar being sustainable travel. To date, the fund has backed eight sustainability-related outfits, including Air Company (a carbon capture firm); Electric Power Systems (advanced battery technology); Universal Hydrogen (which is developing a hydrogen powered regional airliner); I6 (a digital fuel management technology outfit); Rubicon Carbon (a carbon markets solutions provider also backed by TPG Rise Climate); and Joby Aviation (developing an all-electric eVTOL aircraft).
Elsewhere in the business, the JetBlue For Good month sees the airline donate millions of TrueBlue points to its partnering charitable organisations, while crewmembers donate their time through volunteer projects across the airline’s network.
“It is easy to talk the talk in these areas, but JetBlue is an example of an airline focused on results,” a judge says.
“It’s a great ESG story.”
The full list of 2025 Airline Strategy Awards winners, by category, were:
Executive Leadership: North America Scott Kirby, United Airlines
Executive Leadership: Europe Luis Gallego, IAG
Executive Leadership: Asia-Pacific Shinichi Inoue, ANA
Executive Leadership: Latin America & Caribbean Pedro Heilbron, Copa Airlines
Executive Leadership: Africa & Middle East Ghaith Al Ghaith, Flydubai
Air-Cargo Leadership Azul Cargo Express
Digital Leadership Ryanair
ESG Leadership JetBlue Airways
The Airline Business Award Harry Hohmeister