The International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched the Integrated Sustainability Programme (ISP) at the IATA World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) in Hong Kong.
ISP is a certification
programme offering airlines a comprehensive sustainability management and
assessment framework. It is designed specifically for airlines and built upon
the successful IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA).
Along with
certification, the programme includes training, consulting, assessments,
guidance, and tools in four critical modules: environmental management,
sustainable procurement, social responsibility & sustainability
performance.
ISP certifications and
modules can be pursued individually or as a fully integrated sustainability programme.
Certifications are subject to a recurring 2-year cycle of independent
assessments.
“The comprehensive ISP
certification programme validates that an airline is managing its
sustainability efforts at the highest level and in the broadest context. It
does this by integrating the monitoring of environmental, social, and
governance measures and providing all stakeholders, regulators, and customers
with a transparent view of the progress. This comes with the added value of
being designed for airlines’ specific needs, making ISP a practical framework
to inform decision-making while ensuring that airlines’ efforts are aligned
with global best practices,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice
President for Sustainability and Chief Economist.
THE FOUR ISP MODULES INCLUDE:
Environmental
Management: IEnvA is now a fully integrated programme within the ISP. By
incorporating ISO14001:2015 principles, IEnvA enables organisations to assess
their environmental footprint systematically, manage compliance obligations,
and develop targeted management plans for emissions, waste, water, noise,
biodiversity, and pollution. Airlines already certified under IEnvA will be
incorporated under the ISP framework, with the option to take up additional
modules/certifications.
Sustainable
Procurement: For the first time, the ISP brings ISO20400:2017-aligned
sustainable procurement standards to aviation. This empowers organisations to
evaluate and improve the sustainability of their supply chains and the goods
and services they buy across environmental, social, and governance dimensions.
Social Responsibility:
The ISP integrates ISO26000:2010, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and
Human Rights, and OECD guidelines into a certifiable framework to help organisations
map social risks and opportunities. These encompass establishing customer
protection and service, human rights due diligence processes, driving
continuous improvement in community engagement and investment, for example.
Sustainability
Performance: This programme allows airlines to measure and monitor their
environmental, social, and governance performance. Following the new ISP
framework will support transparent reporting and informed decision-making in
line with evolving organisational, regulatory, customer and investor ESG
ambitions and requirements.
FIRST MOVERS
At the WSS in
Hong Kong, it was also announced that Air New Zealand and EVA Air are the first
two carriers to receive the Sustainable Procurement certification under the
ISP.
“As New Zealand’s
national airline, we’ve always had a responsibility to help our people and
communities thrive. For Air New Zealand, sustainable procurement means
building on the collective strength and innovation of our supplier network, and
working together to create better outcomes for people and the planet. By
backing IATA’s new ISP, we want to play our part to help lift standards across
aviation, and demonstrate that doing what’s right is about doing good
business,” said Kiri Hannifin, Air New Zealand Chief Sustainability and
Corporate Affairs Officer.
“Earning this
certification marks a key milestone in EVA Air’s sustainability journey,
reflecting our commitment to integrating sustainability into procurement and
collaborating with partners to build a more resilient supply chain,” said Jason
Liu, Chief Sustainability Officer at EVA Air.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
ISP will evolve over
time as IATA continues to work with a broad spectrum of industry participants
and stakeholders to ensure that industry standards, guidance, and
certifications remain practical and impactful.
At present, ISP is only available to airlines. However, it will evolve to ground handlers, cargo handlers, airports, MROs, and caterers. -TradeArabia News Service