As the industry grapples with growing environmental responsibilities, The International Air Cargo Association placed sustainability at the heart of its agenda at Air Cargo Forum, unveiling updates to the association’s Sustainability Portfolio, including the Sustainability Survey, which gathers critical data from across the industry.

“The survey allows us to measure progress on key sustainability metrics and understand what’s driving change for different organisations,” Steven Polmans, Chair of TIACA, explained. “

“A few years ago, companies pursued sustainability because their business partners expected it. Today, it’s a mandate from employees, regulators, financial institutions, and local communities.”

Glyn Hughes, Director General of TIACA, continued by urging broader participation in the survey to enhance its impact: “We’re targeting 400 respondents this year. The more data we gather, the more meaningful the insights will be.”

Alongside understanding the needs of the industry, TIACA shone the spotlight on its growing Blue Sky Programme, an independent assessment designed to help organisations benchmark and advance their sustainability efforts.

The programme, tailored to each participant, evaluates not just environmental practices but also social and governance aspects.

“It’s not about passing or failing. It’s about helping companies understand where they are in their sustainability journey and how they can improve” Hughes explained.

Highlighting collaboration, Polmans shared an example of the Blue Sky Community initiative, which debuted at Brussels Airport: “By bringing multiple organisations together, we can identify shared challenges and create collective solutions.”