ARI’s Global ESG Champions advance local sustainability efforts in support of its 2030 strategy

ARI is putting sustainability into action through a global network of ESG Champions – employees chosen to drive change at a local level across the company’s business units. These Champions are tasked with translating the retailer’s revised 2025-2030 ESG strategy, Journey with Purpose, which launched on Earth Day this past April, into initiatives tailored to each location.

Passion into action

The team of ten ESG Champions spans ARI’s global operations and includes Sujat Ameen (Bahrain Duty Free), Katherine Buagayan Espinosa (Abu Dhabi Duty Free), Antigoni Pafiti (Cyprus Duty Free), Sonja Dajevic (Montenegro Duty Free), Daniel Thompson (ARI North America), Claire Breathnach (ARI Ireland), Israa Othman (Ahlan Avenue), Suresh Gudepu (Muscat Duty Free), Edite Louro (Portugal Duty Free) and Roger Cossey (Caribbean ARI Inc.).

“We felt that the most effective and empowering way to implement this new strategy across our business was to have those who are passionate about sustainability lead the charge within each business unit,” shares Tracy Ross, interim ARI ESG lead and ARI Middle East (ARIME) head of planning and design.

No formal training or prior ESG experience was required to become a Champion. “Quite simply, we needed people who were passionate about ESG and about driving change,” says Ross. “We encouraged people to put themselves forward for the roles. They have taken on the responsibility on top of their day-to-day roles, so our Champions are serious about doing better as a business.”

Plans into impact

Champions will focus on the four pillars of People, Planet, Product and Passenger. Monthly meetings allow idea-sharing and problem-solving, while quarterly Business Unit Scorecards track achievements and KPIs. Each Champion is also encouraged to build a team of Green Ambassadors to support rollout and embed sustainability across the organization.

While each unit is part of the wider ARI group, they are at different stages of their sustainability journey due to cultural nuances and regional legislation. “Our business is diverse, and so too must be our approach,” shares Ross. Having a locally-appointed ESG Champion at each business unit means that the strategy can be adapted to best suit operational needs while working towards common goals.

Embedding ESG across any organization comes with challenges, and the Champions are designed to be a crucial part of addressing them at ARI. “We are intrinsically linked with the ESG strategies of our airport partners and the existing operational processes,” explains Ross, noting that progress differs across regions – particularly in waste management and data capture – as well as the varying ESG goals of their partners. “Without these champions on the ground, strategy implementation, measurement and reporting would be challenging.”

“As with every strategy or change of mindset, the only way to truly embed it is from the top down and instill the passion for change,” concludes Ross. “This program reinforces the importance of working together towards a common good, which is what ESG is all about.”