Airlink’s environmental stewardship and sustainability practices have been recognised by the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) Organisation.
The IEnvA certification confirms Airlink’s compliance with global standards for environmental practices. It also asserts the airline’s compliance with the Buckingham Palace Declaration, a landmark agreement that aims to shut down transportation routes exploited by traffickers of the illegal wildlife trade.
“Airlink’s business and leisure customers are increasingly focused on limiting their environmental impact. Similarly, environmental preservation and wildlife are core to the livelihoods, enterprises and economies of many of the destinations we serve. As a vital link in that chain, Airlink has a duty to make a positive environmental impact,” explained de Villiers Engelbrecht, Airlink CEO.
Engelbrecht believes Airlink’s IEnvA certification will strengthen customer relations, and build trust among industry partners, regulators and other key players. This is due to the programme’s independent assessment of the commitment of airlines, airports, cargo-handling facilities, freight forwarders and other aviation role-players, to continuously improve their environmental and sustainability performance.
The programme also provides guidelines, procedures and other tools to help organisations improve their sustainability management.
Hardus Kuschke, Airline Executive Manager for Cargo, added that compliance with the Buckingham Palace Declaration illustrated the airline’s commitment to combating the illegal wildlife trade.
“This was evidenced in our recent collaboration between Airlink Cargo and the Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife’s Transport Taskforce in the repatriation of some of the world’s most vulnerable and endangered animals back to their natural habitats in Madagascar,” said Kuschke.
The repatriation involved approximately 1 000 tortoises and lemurs confiscated in Thailand, marking one of the largest such projects in the world.
