TIACA reported on the official launch workshop for its first, global TIACA BlueSky Airport Community Program, on 15APR24. Jointly held by TIACA and Air Cargo Belgium, and sponsored by Brussels Airport, the workshop brought together six ‘pioneering companies’: Aviapartner, dnata, EFL Global, Ninatrans, Swissport and WFS, a member of the SATS Group. Under the guidance of Change Horizon, participants were taken through the benefits and principles of BlueSky, learned about sustainability factors, and were instructed on how to prepare for the BlueSky assessment and verification process. The assessment process for 15 community members will be sponsored by Air Cargo Belgium and Brussels Airport Company, who have pledged to co-share the fees and formally establish the first BlueSky community, following the launch of TIACA’s BlueSky program back in 2022. It is the only program in the air cargo and logistics industry that currently offers a verified independent assessment of a company’s sustainability credentials based on 8 critical points: Decarbonization, Elimination of waste, Protection of biodiversity, Support for local economies and communities, Improvement of lives and social well-being, Efficiencies and profitability, Attraction, retention, and development of employees, and Building and nurturing of partnerships.
Steven Polmans, TIACA Chair, said: “One of TIACA’s main focuses is to collaborate and unite the industry. The holding of this workshop and launching the first BlueSky Community shows how much we can get done if we work together for a common front. This initiative is focused on creating a sustainable future by assessing and tracking where an airport community is on its path towards a sustainable air cargo future.”
Geert Aerts, Chief Cargo & Real Estate Officer, Brussels Airport Company, commented: “Brussels Airport believes that the future of air cargo needs to be sustainable and is, constantly taking initiatives and implementing improvements towards it. At the same time, we are encouraging our stakeholders to also become more sustainable. By supporting the TIACA BlueSky program we are supporting our partners within our community in their efforts. With this first TIACA BlueSky community program, Brussels Airport continues to pioneer, in collaboration with our tight-knit Brucargo community towards a more sustainable cargo industry.”
Freek De Witte, Director Air CargoBelgium, added: “This is a landmark moment for BRUcargo and the air cargo industry at large. By coming together as a community to participate in the BlueSky program, we are not only highlighting our commitment to sustainability but also setting a precedent for collaborative progress on a global scale.”
