South African Airways (SAA) has achieved the highest level of the International Air Transport Association (Iata) Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) programme.

IEnvA is a voluntary, two-stage evaluation process designed to drive airline environmental performance improvements through independent assessment.

SAA, along with Finnair, became the first to complete the IEnvA Stage 2 assessment, which saw the airliners implement all the IEnvA programme’s environmental standards, the identification and mitigation of the significant environmental impacts of the airliner's operations and the setting of performance targets.

This stage also certified that an airline had developed processes for monitoring and reviewing its performance against its environmental targets and objectives.

“I would particularly like to commend Finnair and SAA for being the first to complete the Stage 2 assessment. These airlines are among the pioneers in this critical new programme,” Iata CEO and director-general Tony Tyler said in a statement.

SAA, which completed its Stage 1 assessment in June 2013, conducted its Stage 2 assessment in "record time" - six months prior to the two-year deadline, SAA acting CEO Nico Bezuidenhout said.

Icelandair, Qatar Airways and SriLankan Airlines completed IEnvA Stage 1 assessments, which ensured an airline had established a foundation and framework for its environmental management system, as well as certified that an airline had identified and complied with its environmental legal requirements.

“These five airlines join a growing number of carriers that have already successfully completed IEnvA Stage 1 assessments, namely Air Transat, Kenya Airways, Latam, Latam Cargo and Malaysia Airlines,” Tyler commented, adding that the aim was for the programme to improve environmental standards much in the same way Iata’s operational safety audit aided in airline safety improvement.

The IEnvA programme was developed in conjunction with airlines to deal with industry needs and specific concerns, was based on recognised environmental management system principles, such as ISO 14001, and used environmental standards and recommended practices developed specifically for the aviation sector by a joint team of environmental experts from within and outside the industry.

The assessments, undertaken by accredited independent organisations, reviewed an airline’s environmental performance against several sustainability standards, including the management of air quality and emissions, noise, fuel consumption and operational efficiency, recycling, energy efficiency, sustainable procurement and biofuel use.
The modular IEnvA programme initially focused on flight operations and corporate activities at a global level, with a later expansion into other activities such as catering, ground operations and maintenance, repair and overhaul.

The programme assisted airlines in simplifying regulatory compliance, demonstrating good governance and achieving financial savings from the better use of resources.