Only 32% of air cargo companies actively invest in SAF solutions: TIACA

A vast majority (96%) of air cargo leaders report CEO support for sustainability efforts, based on the TIACA report. Clearly, the industry is showing stronger leadership engagement, with 88% also noting CFO involvement. Sustainability strategies are now in place at 71% of companies—rising to 84% among larger firms. Investment is following suit: Close to half of organisations have dedicated sustainability budgets, and over half of air cargo companies also have established specialised teams. However, though SAF still remains a hot topic, only 32% of respondents are actively deploying fossil-free energy solutions. Offsetting measures show a similar disparity, with just 19% of small companies using them, compared to 50% of large ones.

Despite growing attention on Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), only 55% of airports and 54% of airlines report actively investing in or deploying SAF or other fossil-free energy sources. Notably, 3% of surveyed airlines state that SAF is not currently a focus. Instead, many companies are prioritising operational efficiency as their first decarbonisation lever—through optimising energy and asset utilisation, modernising fleets, improving energy consumption, and adopting green building practices.

“We see significant increases in organisations’ focus on energy efficiency and carbon footprint reductions. Fleet renewals feature in airline and ground handler strategies, as well as more efficient buildings and optimisation strategies leveraging innovation and digitalisation,” said Glyn Hughes, Director General, TIACA.

Sustainability efforts extend beyond carbon reduction. A remarkable 91% of respondents are actively working to eliminate single-use plastics and foam. Digital transformation also takes center stage, with 99% of companies indicating they are either raising awareness or implementing digital solutions to drive sustainability progress.

However, transparency and structured reporting show stark contrasts based on company size. While 46% of surveyed organisations publish sustainability reports, this number rises to 69% for large firms but falls to just 23% among small and medium-sized enterprises. Similarly, while 71% of companies now have a dedicated sustainability strategy, only 62% believe sustainability is embedded in their company’s DNA—rising to 70% among large enterprises. Additionally, 64% include sustainability considerations in their procurement processes.

“The number of organisations who are allocating funds to sustainable initiatives has increased, as have the number of companies with specific sustainability strategies and who produce annual sustainability reports,” added Hughes. “Although there is one trend which appears quite regularly throughout the study, which is the differential between large and small organisations. However, with regulations and customer demands for greater action increasing across the board, smaller organisations will continue to face additional challenges in demonstrating tangible moves forward.”

To help bridge this gap, TIACA offers support programs such as its BlueSky sustainability assessment tool, aimed at helping all organisations—regardless of size—understand how they measure up against industry best practices across multiple areas of sustainability.

In contrast to the lower engagement with SAF, an overwhelming 91% of respondents are actively addressing the elimination of single-use plastics and foam within their operations, marking it as a critical environmental priority for the industry. Digitalisation is also a major focus, with nearly all surveyed organisations (99%) actively implementing or planning digital solutions to enhance sustainability.

Transparency in reporting sustainability practices, however, remains notably uneven. Only 46% of surveyed companies produce sustainability reports, with a substantial gap between large firms (69%) and smaller enterprises (23%). Similarly, just 62% of respondents feel sustainability is genuinely embedded within their company culture.

TIACA continues urging air cargo businesses to set clear sustainability targets, rigorously measure their progress, transparently report achievements, and leverage industry-wide sustainability assessment tools like the BlueSky programme.