Here you’ll find our management approach to each of our priority topics, links to relevant discussions elsewhere in our annual report and select performance indicators:

• Corporate responsibility
• Safety
• People
• Passenger and customer experience
• Aviation growth

Corporate Responsibility

Toronto Pearson is Canada’s front door, an important economic enabler for our region, and a neighbour to the communities that surround us. We thrive and grow together with these communities – and we have a responsibility to connect with them, to address their issues and concerns, and to help out.

Community investment and engagement

• Our Community Investment Program Policy establishes the framework for our signature program – the Propeller Project – which focuses on helping underemployed people pursue more fulfilling careers and contribute to overall economic vitality. Key commitments under the program are to give back to neighbourhoods directly and indirectly impacted by Toronto Pearson operations, invest one per cent of the GTAA’s net income annually in community-building initiatives, and foster growth and prosperity in our regions, communities and among local residents. See Unlocking potential.

• Community engagement takes many forms as discussed in Listening to our community and outlined in our Stakeholder Engagement section. Our approach includes:
  • Community event sponsorships that align with our corporate vision and mission, increase brand recognition, and enable us to engage with attendees and build relationships in neighbouring communities.
  • Partnerships with organizations that are doing meaningful work in the areas of underemployment and career development, environmental sustainability, community vitality, community-building activities, accessibility enhancements or education.
  • One-on-one opportunities to engage in conversations about noise, environment, transit and more.
  • Pop-up booths that enable us to build relationships with local organizations and elected officials while meeting our neighbours in hubs such as libraries and community centres.

Noise management

• As part of regular business at the airport, we have a noise management program that guides how we work with our partners to manage noise impacts on a daily basis. The program, based on the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Balanced Approach to Aircraft Noise Management Policy, includes land use planning, operation restrictions (such as limiting the number of flights at night), noise abatement procedures for planes and preferential runway systems.
• Our Noise Management Office monitors noise and noise abatement procedures, and receives, analyzes and responds to public complaints. The Office periodically publishes advisories to notify residents of airfield construction, airport activities, and engagement opportunities that could have an impact on normal airport traffic operations and aircraft noise. Noise complaints can be registered through our website or by phone.

• We also have noise monitoring terminals strategically located near the airport to gather objective data and assess noise levels in neighbouring communities.
• Every five years, we commit to a noise management action plan, which is based on international best practices and public input, and explores ways to evolve and improve the way we manage noise. Our 2018–2022 Noise Management Action Plan includes a range of ambitious programs, which are based on 10 commitments we’ve made to our communities. As part of the current Action Plan, we’ve introduced Noise Management Forums, a series of briefings, tables and working groups that help us work smarter with our communities and collaborate better with industry.
• To learn more about our evolving noise management approach and 2019 performance, see Listening to our community.

Environmental stewardship

• Our Environmental Policy sets out the key elements of our environmental strategy. In addition to complying with all applicable standards and regulations, we maintain an ISO 14001:2015 certified environmental management system (EMS), which helps us set performance targets and pursue continuous improvement. Our reporting practices align with the ISO 14064 standard and the internationally recognized Airport Carbon Accreditation program (in which the GTAA has achieved Level 3 certification).
• The EMS focuses on three areas: climate change mitigation and adaptation, waste management and maintaining healthy ecosystems. To learn more about our evolving approaches to each of these areas, see Reducing our carbon footprint and Protecting our planet.
• We promote sustainable business practices among local businesses through Partners in Project Green, an initiative co-founded by the GTAA and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority in 2017. See Partners driving change.

Safety

Safety and security are our top priorities – central to every decision we make. We developed the Pearson Safety Program as part of our commitment to the safety and security of our employees, and all passengers and guests who visit Toronto.

• While all companies operating at the airport are responsible for the safety of their own employees, we work together to achieve our shared vision of zero injuries to everyone who travels through or works at Toronto Pearson.
• Our Safety Policy sets out guiding principles. The Pearson Safety Program comprises seven safety systems that include policies, programs and training relevant to the various aspects of airport operations: aviation safety; security; terminal and groundside safety; environment; technical and construction; occupational health and safety; and emergency management. Construction-related contractors must have a Certificate of Recognition (COR) as confirmation that their health and safety program meets provincial standards and has been evaluated by a certified auditor.

• All airports in Canada are required to have a security awareness program that educates employees about their roles and responsibilities in airport security. At Toronto Pearson, employees complete both the national and site-specific modules of the Canadian Airport Security Awareness Program. This training is mandatory for everyone who needs access to restricted areas and for any airport employee who has been away from work for more than a year.
• Across our airport community, we try to bolster our safety and security culture through a constant focus on communications and risk identification. We also conduct an annual safety climate survey and use the findings to improve safety-related programs. Contests are run to encourage high employee participation in the survey, which in 2019 received 1,062 online submissions.
• Safety performance is tracked through the Toronto Pearson Safety Index, which measures employee lost-time injuries per million passengers.
• To learn more about our evolving safety management approach and 2019 performance, see Keeping it safe.

People

Our airport is a dynamic place to work and there’s a deep sense of pride among our employees in the difference we make for passengers, for our community and for our country. We strive to create a workplace where people are engaged and their careers can take flight, so that collectively and individually we achieve our goals and fulfill our potential.

• Most GTAA employees work in management, technical, administrative and other operational roles, while some are seasonal employees hired for deicing and airfield maintenance. The majority are unionized, represented by either Unifor Local 2002 or the Pearson Airport Professional Fire Fighters Association.
• To achieve our goals, we need to attract, develop, engage and reward a high-performing workforce. Our people strategy focuses on five areas:
  • Plan and attract the right talent for now and for the future.
  • Develop and build individual potential and sustainable talent pipelines.
  • Lead and engage to inspire individual and collective success.
  • Align and reward to leverage talent and deliver business results.
  • Equip and support GTAA colleagues with the right tools and expertise.

• A strong commitment to diversity and inclusion is embedded in our talent, workplace and community practices. We’ve also implemented a five-year strategy to target specific opportunities for improvement, such as increasing the representation of women and visible minorities in leadership, fostering a more inclusive work environment, and building more diverse talent pipelines by working with local community groups. See Embracing our diversity.
• We conduct an annual feedback survey to measure employee engagement and identify ways to improve our employees’ work experience.
• To learn more about our management approach, see Who works at Toronto Pearson? and Igniting innovation.

Passenger and Customer Experience

Toronto Pearson aspires to be the best airport in the world. We know that the most successful global hubs have moved beyond simply providing the basics of good infrastructure, safety and security, and efficient processes. The best provide exceptional passenger experiences that make them airports of choice.

• Keeping people, baggage, cargo and aircraft moving as quickly and smoothly as possible is essential for achieving consistently superior passenger experiences. We strive to improve the flow of passengers in our terminals by constantly enhancing systems and processes to reduce passenger wait times, including at screening points, border inspection areas and baggage claim areas. See Don’t be early and The big screen.

• We work together with all of our partners in airport operations toward common goals. This includes collaborating with airlines on everything from the development of new routes, to improved baggage systems, to support for connecting passengers. Our major airline partners also advise on the various facilities enhancements and new service offerings by which we strive to deliver a better passenger experience. See Better decisions together.
• In addition to meeting high service standards for cleanliness, disinfection, lighting, space and wait times, we enrich passengers’ experience at Toronto Pearson by creating a safe and welcoming environment and continually expanding and enhancing our retail, dining and other services. See Reinventing retail.

Aviation Growth

Toronto Pearson is Canada’s largest airport by several measures, most notably passenger traffic. The volume of air travellers may fluctuate with changing global conditions – the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 is a dramatic example. But over the long term we expect that passenger volumes will continue to grow, driven by demand from our region and the rest of Canada, as well as the rising number of international passengers who see Pearson as an ideal North American gateway. Supporting this growth requires significant planning and investment. And it can only be sustained through constant collaboration with a diverse array of partners and stakeholders, including all levels of government.

• Toronto Pearson is well on the way to joining the top tier of international airports, providing direct connectivity to nearly 80 per cent of the global economy. We’re currently ranked fifth in the world for international connectivity, and we continue to extend our reach.

• We’ve partnered with 11 economically significant regional airports to form the Southern Ontario Airport Network (SOAN), whose members work together to accommodate our region’s growing air service needs and act as a catalyst for local and regional investment, business expansion and job creation. See Regional flight plan.
• The connections we provide to support the flow of people, services and capital are equally crucial in moving cargo. As carriers have added more efficient wide-body aircraft to their fleets, cargo capacity has grown to match rising demand. At the same time, competitive rates mean that more exporters are seeing the value of shipping by air. The loading centre at Toronto Pearson is one of the biggest and busiest in Canada, and we continue to improve our capabilities and processes. See Reimagining baggage.