IEnvA Certification

To achieve and maintain certification, Air Canada must demonstrate a comprehensive environmental management framework that includes:

• Environmental policy
• Procedures to identify, assess and manage environmental aspects and impacts
• Environmental significance/risk rating criteria
• Environmental management plans to address environmental issues that include:
  • Environmental objectives and associated plans to achieve those objectives
  • Control mechanisms to achieve and maintain environmental compliance and performance
• Environmental training programs
• Environmental communications plans
• Emergency response procedures

Air Canada uses its environmental management system (EMS), a structured documented system of policies and procedures, to identify the environmental aspects of its activities, develop and implement programs to manage our operational impacts, monitor and assess environmental and climate-related risks and establish environmental objectives, targets and performance indicators.

Air Canada advanced to a third-party certified EMS through the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) program to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, waste and pollution and to bolster our environmental performance. IEnvA was specifically developed for the airline industry to continuously improve environmental and sustainability performance and demonstrates equivalency to the ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems standard.

Air Canada develops environmental management plans to address our significant environmental impacts and meet our compliance obligations. Through environmental compliance audit programs, we monitor our regulatory compliance, identify root causes of findings and ensure corrective actions are developed, as required.

Air Canada’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the highest-level management position with direct responsibility for environmental and climate-related issues. The CEO is a member of the Air Canada Board of Directors and has overall management responsibility for Air Canada’s sustainability strategy. The CEO chairs Air Canada’s Corporate Environment Board (CEB), which provides the organization’s executive level with the material information required for awareness and decision-making regarding compliance, material risk and the organization’s environmental objectives and goals. As chair of the CEB, the CEO’s environmental responsibilities are to ensure the executive management’s commitment to Air Canada’s environmental policy and environmental management system.

Business unit heads make up the CEB and collaborate with members of other departments as well. The CEB meets annually to review potential environmental risks and opportunities, progress on programs and plans and consider future directions for the Corporation. Progress on key topics and initiatives are reported to the Safety, Health, Environment and Security Committee of the Board. Air Canada uses a multi-disciplinary, company wide risk management process for identifying, assessing and monitoring environmental and climate-related risks and opportunities. Identified risks and opportunities are reviewed at minimum annually.

We developed and established several training programs to ensure our employees are aware of their roles and responsibilities, have appropriate knowledge of environmental issues and are adept to undertake tasks that may have significant environmental impacts. The employee training underscores the importance of compliance with environmental regulations, policies, procedures and other requirements of the environmental management system. We are continuing to transform our environmental training program through our online platform to better suit our mobile workforce.

Mitigating the effect of noise to and from the airports we serve is a priority. We actively participate in noise abatement committees with multiple stakeholders, including airport authorities, local government, air navigation service providers and other air carriers to improve noise conditions around airports. To further minimize noise, airports have developed noise abatement procedures with which our flight crews comply and carefully manage operating hours during the night.

As early as November 2015, we have been operating several narrow-body Airbus aircraft with Fuel Over Pressure Protector (FOPP) Cavity Vortex Generator modification installed to reduce aircraft noise. Additionally, in 2018, we proactively started a program to add a noise-reducing device to the remainder of our Airbus A320 family aircraft. We completed the retrofit on all aircraft in early 2023.

In 2025, Air Canada was the recipient of the 2025 Fly Quiet Award from the Port of Seattle’s Aviation Noise Programs. Air Canada has won this award for the last 4 years. We achieved high scores across all Fly Quiet scoring categories, supported by the operation of modern, quieter aircraft such as the Airbus A220 and Boeing 737 MAX 8. Earning Seattle‑Tacoma International Airport’s prestigious Fly Quiet Award, an initiative designed to reduce aircraft noise and protect surrounding communities, is one way Air Canada demonstrates its commitment to responsible operations and meaningful noise‑abatement performance.