The NBAA has unveiled a new accreditation programme that will serve as an industry standard for validating leadership in sustainable flight operations across a host of key domains.

As companies increasingly emphasise sustainability as an overall objective, the NBAA Sustainable Flight Department Accreditation Program offers a tangible way for flight departments and others to demonstrate leadership in sustainability.

“NBAA has always been the authoritative source for business aviation, including when it comes to the sustainability of flight operations,” says president and CEO Ed Bolen. “On Earth Day, we want to underscore our commitment to this priority with our groundbreaking new tool, which provides a strategic framework for integrating all aspects of operational sustainability into an organisation's planning and culture. We look forward to working with our members in introducing this important programme and supporting their sustainability goals in the years to come.”

Flight departments seeking the association's Sustainable Flight Department Accreditation must demonstrate that their operations meet stringent requirements in one or more of the following areas:

Flight: Reducing environmental impact as a result of conducting flights (carbon, emissions, noise) and creating efficiencies.

Operations: Optimising a sustainability culture with a focus on personnel and systemic environmental programmes (recycling, measurable reduction of resources).

Ground Support: Implementing sustainable strategies related to ground support (equipment, vehicles) and selecting vendors that do the same.

Infrastructure: Advancing sustainability through physical infrastructures (hangars, facilities).

To support those enrolled in the accreditation programme, NBAA will provide web-based educational content and other training addressing various elements of sustainability, with virtual audits to document certificate eligibility. Randomised, in-person audits will further verify a sustainability culture.

Initially, a limited number of companies have been invited to participate in a pilot programme over the next several months to test the accreditation programme prototype and provide feedback. The full accreditation programme will be launched in October at the 2021 NBAA-BACE.