Air cargo industry’s first sustainability report

The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) has released their Air Cargo Sustainability Report – Accelerating the sustainable transformation of air cargo – which is the first comprehensive study undertaken on the sustainable transformation of the air cargo industry.  

As part of TIACA’s Sustainability program, launched in November 2019, the organisation performed a widespread industry survey involving supply chain partners from across the globe and from each industry sector and business size. 

Of the various air cargo players, shippers ranked highest, with 87% of them saying that sustainability had increased in importance over the last 12 months.

While air cargo moves about 33% of global trade by value, there is a perception by airlines, airports and ground handlers that aviation’s reputation comes from the passenger business, so there is no need to invest in cargo sustainable solutions as these are not visible. 

TIACA has committed to change that perception, drive the discussions and support actions within the aviation industry that will ensure cargo and sustainability agendas are not disconnected from each other.

Sustainability in the COVID-19 context:

• Air cargo has been critical to deliver protective equipment, emergency supplies and support stay-at-home policies
• Efficient, reliable and timely deliveries of vaccines worldwide rely on air cargo
• Air cargo is the saver of aviation
• The industry can adapt and change, and can do it fast

“Sustainability is one of the key priority areas for TIACA as the air cargo industry must reflect the global society it serves. We must collectively seek to focus on People, Planet and Prosperity. To flourish in the years to come, we must create equal opportunities for all, embrace technology and innovation and ensure we implement environmentally responsible solutions designed to protect the planet today and for generations to come”, stated Glyn Hughes, TIACA Director General. 

Key highlights of the report: 

• 91% of respondents confirm their sustainability agenda is supported directly by their CEO
• 81% indicate there are concrete actions defined making sustainability a real strategic priority for their company
• 69% reported that sustainability considerations play an increasingly important role in procurement activity
• Despite the COVID pandemic over 63% reported that sustainability issues play an even more important role in 2020 vs 2019
• Over 70% report equal motivation to support customer demands as well as to enhance the employee experience

All industry sectors are committed to reducing their environmental impact, with many organisations adopting specific targets.

Carbon reduction, waste management and energy are main environmental focus of air cargo companies, with more than 50% of the respondents having concrete improvement action plans in place.

We welcome TIACA’s moves to integrate sustainability into the air cargo eco-system and look forward to supporting their efforts going forward.

For clients seeking greener supply chains, our systems can track CO2 emissions by shipment, mode, route and fuel type, using globally accepted standards and methodologies for measuring emissions.

We provide a range of carbon offset options, to offset supply chain impact and our customers can compare carriers’ environmental performance to make sustainable buying decisions.