EasyJet has committed to improving its overall environmental impact, including waste and carbon emissions, after receiving stage 2 certification in the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Environmental Assessment program, known as IEnvA.
EasyJet has committed to improving its overall environmental impact, including waste and carbon emissions, after receiving stage 2 certification in the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Environmental Assessment programme, known as IEnvA.
The airline is the first low-cost carrier to receive the full IATA IEnvA accreditation, following its successful completion of the IATA IEnvA stage 1 implementation, assessment and certification earlier this year.
“We view sustainability as a holistic issue at easyJet, which ranges from mitigating our direct carbon emissions from flying to managing the broader impact from our operations,” said easyJet sustainability director, Jane Ashton.
“I’m really pleased to have achieved this first for a low-cost carrier worldwide, with the full IATA IEnvA accreditation further demonstrating easyJet’s continued commitment to continuously improving our environmental performance,” she added.
EasyJet last year joined the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign aimed at achieving net-zero carbon emission by 2050 and recently introduced a carbon offsetting scheme for corporate customers. The carrier has also introduced new crew uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles and has reportedly eliminated more than 36 million single-use plastic items from its flights.
A globally recognized evaluation system, IEnvA is closely aligned to the international standard ISO 14001 for an environmental management system and was designed to assess and improve an airline’s environmental performance.
EasyJet is the first non-IATA member to participate in the voluntary assessment process. IATA senior vice president, environment and sustainability, Sebastian Mikosz, said: “I am especially pleased that easyJet has partnered with IATA and trusts us to work with them to further improve their environmental management practices.
“Environmental sustainability is an existential challenge for the entire airline industry. IATA is proud to work with its member airlines, but also non-member airlines to introduce world-class environmental management practices to the aviation industry.”
The accreditation is the latest feather in easyJet’s sustainability cap, following a recent partnership with aviation tech firm Cranfield Aerospace Solutions to develop zero emission aircraft powered by a hydrogen fuel system.
