Hong Kong –  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the full certification of Cathay Cargo Terminal and Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (HACTL) through the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) at the World Cargo Symposium, held in Hong Kong (SAR), China.

Cathay Cargo Terminal and HACTL are the first cargo handlers from North Asia to achieve the IEnvA certification. This brings the total number of companies including airlines, airports and ground handling service providers that have achieved the certification to 60. IEnvA certification is awarded following a comprehensive evaluation of the companies’ environmental sustainability management systems and their plans for continual performance improvement.

“IATA is proud to have worked with Cathay Cargo Terminal and HACTL in their pursuit of IEnvA certification. Their commitment to sustainable aviation sets a strong example for the industry and demonstrates the positive impact of IEnvA certification in the cargo space. IEnvA provides definitive guidance, aligned with internationally accepted management standards, to efficiently and effectively address a wide spectrum of sustainability issues facing the aviation industry. Adopting IEnvA Standards allows the certified organizations to effectively focus their resources on improving their environmental performance and make use of tried and proven best practices. IEnvA certification will support Cathay Cargo Terminal and HACTL to drive sustainability, build trust, and deliver positive impact.​​​​ IATA also recognizes the support of Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) in supporting its partners in improving overall environmental impact and call on other airports encourage their stakeholders follow the same approach,” said Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s SVP Sustainability and Chief Economist. 

Cathay Cargo Terminal Chief Operating Officer Mark Watts said, “This significant milestone demonstrates our commitment to environmental sustainability. Having IEnvA certified facilities at Hong Kong International Airport further strengthens Hong Kong’s position as the world’s leading air cargo hub and is reflective of the strong sustainability culture and vision of Cathay, AAHK and Hong Kong.”

“HACTL has been on its sustainability journey for some years, achieving major successes. It’s our policy to gain accreditation under every relevant standard, hence our decision to add IATA IEnvA to our portfolio. It increases the appeal of HACTL’s offering, and further enhances Hong Kong’s status as the world’s leading hub. We also support IATA’s initiative because we believe it will help the vital sustainability message to gain traction across our industry,” said HACTL Chief Executive Wilson Kwong.

IEnvA, developed by IATA, is a comprehensive certification program. It independently assesses the commitment of aviation stakeholders, including airlines, airports, cargo handling facilities, freight forwarders, and ramp handlers, to continuously improve their environmental and sustainability performance. By adhering to globally recognized standards and industry best practices, IEnvA ensures that organizations minimize negative impacts on the environment while maintaining operational excellence.

IEnvA is the global aviation standard for environmental management, aligned with ISO standards and recognized by leading ESG agencies. IEnvA incorporates a full turn-key solution specific to the aviation industry stakeholders, providing member organizations with the necessary tools for the implementation of the standards.
IEnvA supports the organizations to implement a systematic approach to identify, monitor, control, and continuously improve the environmental performance of their operations. The program, which is available for all stakeholders in the aviation supply chain, has now reached 60 participating organizations. IEnvA programs enable participants to build robust environmental management plans with continual performance improvements. A list of IEnvA certified organizations is available here.