CASE STUDY

Pioneering ESG Frameworks in the
UK Space Industry

Dedicated to fostering sustainability across and on behalf of the digital technology for ESG landscape, Callala is at the forefront of addressing the environmental and social impacts of the rapidly expanding UK space industry.

In collaboration with Sixty7.Green and the University of Manchester, Callala is involved in research efforts to establish a robust ESG assessment framework tailored for space missions. With the UK space sector aiming for substantial growth that includes upcoming launches and longer-term monitoring of space infrastructure and debris, there is an urgent need for transparent and comprehensive metrics to evaluate environmental and social impacts of space related activity.

Research led by the University of Manchester, with contributions from Andrew Iwanoczko of Callala and Joey Tabone of Sixty7.Green, highlights the potential of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a tool for assessing the environmental costs associated with satellite data, focusing on the design, manufacture, launch phases, and re-entry. While existing methods for carbon scoring and launch modelling show promise, further development is required to tailor these approaches to the unique challenges of space missions.

Callala aims to position the UK space sector as a global leader in sustainable innovation. Future efforts will focus on expanding partnerships and developing detailed scoring metrics, ultimately fostering a culture of accountability and environmental stewardship across the industry.

Callala plays a pivotal role in guiding space, earth observation, and geospatial sectors to bolster their ESG reporting and transparency. Through its ongoing support to the University of Manchester, and deeply connected partnership with Sixty7.Green, Callala continues to address existing gaps in ESG disclosures and transition planning for space sector companies, alongside empowering space companies to serve as beacons of positive environmental and social change through comprehensive ESG practice.

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John Mackintosh

PhD Candidate, University of Manchester

We have greatly enjoyed collaborating with Andrew on our research initiatives at the University of Manchester, where we developed a preliminary framework for an ESG-style assessment of space missions and are now exploring future visions for space activity. Andrew brought remarkable enthusiasm, excellent communication skills, and deep environmental expertise, providing invaluable insight throughout our work.

The synergy between our space-focused research and Andrew’s environmental perspective enabled us to successfully meet the project objectives by outlining sustainability concerns for the terrestrial phases of space missions and obtaining methods for scoring impact. The success of this initial project has paved the way for multiple follow-on research opportunities, with Andrew and Callala remaining valued partners.