Following a full external audit, LAN CARGO became the first cargo airline operating at Miami International Airport to obtain ISO 14001:2004 certification for its Environmental Management System. The system consists of a series of processes and practices that allow to identify, control, manage and reduce the environmental impact of all its ground operations, including the recently-inaugurated maintenance hangar.

“We want to be one of the best airline groups in the world and caring for the environment is essential to achieve that. This certification provides global recognition and LAN CARGO currently operates under its Environmental Management System. Compliance with these standards will allow us to grow and develop our ground operation more efficiently, improve resource management and allocation, and reduce our operation’s environmental impact and carbon footprint”, said Cristián Ureta, CEO of LAN CARGO.

The certification is the result of three years of work and validates LAN CARGO’s management and policies. Based on a series of tools and actions that strengthen the company’s measures to control and reduce environmental impact, the standards also promote the continuous improvement of operations.

Miami International Airport is home to LAN CARGO’s headquarters and one of its cargo business’ most important hubs. The company’s warehouse is the second largest in MIA.

Among environmental certifications available for the air cargo industry, are IATA’s Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) — a voluntary system designed specifically by and for the air industry to improve the environmental management of air operations — and the ISO 14001:2004 standards, which aim to improve management of ground operations and are applicable to all types of companies.

“The Environmental Management System implemented by LATAM Airlines Group and its affiliates has been designed to cover all of the group’s operations, both in the air and on the ground. The companies have been working and investing on these environmental initiatives for several years and, besides the ISO 14001:2004 certification, LAN international flights operated in Chile have earned the IEnvA Stage 2 certification. This is the highest level a company can attain within this system and we were the first airline in the Americas to obtain it and the third in the world. It is the result of the work of many years and it is starting to bear fruit,” said Enrique Guzmán, environmental senior manager at LAN.