Birmingham Airport lands a double win at the Solihull Chamber Awards

Hosted by Solihull Chamber of Commerce, the annual awards recognise businesses that demonstrate exceptional commitment to the region.

BHX was announced as a finalist in both categories in June before claiming the win in front of nearly 400 guests at the ceremony on Friday 11 September.

The wins acknowledge the airport’s important role in the region, particularly its work with local partners and its commitment to delivering longterm, sustainable change.

The airport secured the Community Builder award for the range of charity work colleagues have taken part in over the last 12 months, particularly through its partnership with Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity. BHX has raised more than £200,000 for the charity in the past 18 months through events including a charity dinner, Race the Plane, an abseil and the Runway Fun Run. The funds are already supporting vital healthcare services for children and families across the region, including those in Solihull.

BHX also runs wider community initiatives, including the Birmingham Airport Community Trust Fund, which continues to invest directly in Solihull‑based organisations. Colleagues have also contributed more than 750 volunteering hours, showing that the drive to support the community is firmly embedded in the airport’s culture.

The Sustainability Trailblazer award recognised BHX’s progress across its ambitious sustainability and infrastructure programmes, including delivering a landmark renewable energy project that sets a new benchmark for the UK aviation sector. The airport’s new 6.8 MWp solar PV array, which is made up of 12,600 panels, now supplies up to 20% of BHX’s annual electricity demand, with periods in summer where it powers the entire airport site. The installation has already delivered 1,650 tCO₂e of verified carbon savings and £2.4 million in avoided electricity costs.

Ahead of construction, BHX colleagues hand-delivered information to Marston Green residents to ensure transparency and maintain trust with the community.

The decision to locate the array on the grass bund further minimises visual impact, reinforcing the airport's commitment to thoughtful design and best practice in stakeholder engagement.

Tom Denton, Head of Sustainability at Birmingham Airport, said: “We’re really proud to have taken home both awards this year. The recognition gives a massive boost to our team and reminds us that the hard work we all put in is not going unnoticed. We’ve made a lot of progress over the last year in terms of making headway on our net-zero goal for 2033 and building real relationships with our community by providing support where we recognise it’s needed. There’s still plenty to do, but we’re determined to keep that momentum going.”

To find out more about the Sustainability team and its airport wide Sustainability Strategy visit here.

Photo credits: Edwin Ladd/Mr Ladd Media