Taking the Environment Personally is His Business

Whether he’s chatting with colleagues about building more fuel-efficient engines or meeting with students to help them understand how engineering can make technology more sustainable, Charles Nobilski likes talking about what he does for a living.

Nobilski, a senior principal engineer at Pratt & Whitney, is a leader of the business’ Sustainability Employee Action Group. Its volunteers teach coworkers and local communities about the business’ commitment to sustainable operations and works to show that it is an industry leader in environmental stewardship.

“I’ve always been involved in local causes to support the environment,” said Nobilski, who enjoys gardening and uses some of his vacation time each year to volunteer for various community projects. “We’re seeing the culture shift at Pratt & Whitney, and there’s an enthusiasm our people have to learn more about what we’re doing to implement responsible business practices that protect the environment. It’s really encouraging.”

The group, formed in 2021, builds upon Pratt & Whitney’s long history of developing sustainable aviation technologies and practices.   Members hold virtual lunch-and-learn sessions on sustainability and host experts from within the business to discuss topics like synthetic aviation fuels and hybrid electric engines.

The group will also represent the company at various colleges and universities, participating in forums about sustainability and connecting with students who may be considering a Pratt & Whitney career – or, even better, those who aren’t. Nobilski finds that promoting the company’s efforts to protect the environment, as well as its commitment to health and safety, helps bolster Pratt & Whitney’s reputation as an employer of choice in every field.

“We want to catch students that maybe aren’t thinking about a career in aerospace but are passionate about sustainability and have the skills and talents to help us be more successful,” he said.

He also wants to send a message to prospective employees that Pratt & Whitney is putting its commitment into practice.

“The goal is to show how it’s integrated into our work,” he said.

Sustainability Employee Action Group members also have joined volunteer efforts, like a recent trash cleanup along the Connecticut River called Source to Sea, sponsored by the Connecticut River Conservancy. Additionally, Pratt & Whitney volunteers recently used their engineering expertise to design and build gazebos that capture rainwater for community gardens in Hartford. The Sustainability Employee Action Group is also aligning with the Mary Hooker Environmental Sciences Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut, to build a similar rainwater catchment system and other infrastructure improvements.

“People want to work for a company that has a sense of community,” said Nobilski. “These types of things are what encourage me to go to work.”