Background

It operates 24/7, all year round, and handled over 5.8 million passengers last year. BIA employs 206 people and, within the airport site, there are over 200 companies employing over 4,700 people.

What Belfast International Airport did

BIA’s management team is committed to driving Corporate Responsibility (CR). Its CR programme has four key drivers, one of which is Education. BIA was keen to focus on how it could support local primary and secondary-level schools students and so it established partnerships with St Comgall’s and Greystone Primary Schools, Corpus Christi College, Belfast Boys’ Model School and St Rose’s College.

The secondary school partnership was designed to build long-term strategic partnerships between local schools and business, offering any business support they need. Through this, BIA aims to provide meaningful engagement with the workforce of tomorrow, nurturing aspirations and developing practical skills to help young people reach their full potential.

BIA’s educational programmes include:

• Nine employees supporting essential reading skills with 26 primary school children from two local schools
• Supported a Primary School Christmas competition & VIP tour of the airport
• Hosting on-site development days and providing professional development/training for teachers
• Career advice, conventions and evenings with our three post primary school students
• 20 student work placements
• Mock interview programme
• 10 employees mentoring 21 students to inspire them to higher achievement
• Four site visits with schools/colleges
• Business support for teachers to expose them to how a private company operates a business

Impacts and Outcomes

• Employee engagement levels have increased from an all-time low of 45% to 75% within the past year, with absence levels falling by 1.9%
• 100% of employees are involved in the above activities
• 100% of employees have CR at the top of their Performance and Development Plans.
• 1,950 hours of employee time given to above activities (2017 value of £39,000)
• £10,000 in membership to CR partner organisations (2017

For more information, please email: jaclyn.coulter@bfs.aero