Swiss WorldCargo, the airfreight division of Swiss International Air Lines, has recently received IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV Pharma) re-certification, which applies again to the entire airline and organization. The re-certification was awarded following a thorough audit operated by IATA’s recognized independent auditors.

As the temperature-controlled handling of pharmaceutical products continues to be increasingly challenging due to global regulatory conditions, IATA created CEIV Pharma alongside aviation’s stakeholders and regulators to address the industry’s need for safer, more secure, compliant and efficient pharmaceutical product handling across the entire air cargo supply chain.

In 2018, the IATA authorities awarded Swiss WorldCargo a full CEIV Pharma certification, recognizing the airfreight division’s globally consistent and high-quality pharmaceutical handling processes to safeguard product integrity. In 2021, Swiss WorldCargo was successfully re-certified, becoming part of a small, select group of airlines who has earned this recognition and holds a full CEIV Pharma certification.

Swiss WorldCargo’s expertise in transporting pharmaceuticals has been recognized in the air cargo industry since many years. Achieving an IATA CEIV Pharma re-certification for the second time provides evidence of the division’s commitment to quality and safety, and its ability to adhere to the highest compliance and regulatory requirements.

“I am very proud of Swiss WorldCargo being awarded a full CEIV Pharma re-certification again, which speaks for our continuous efforts to maintain the highest standards of quality, reliability, and safety, which ultimately result in the peace of mind of our customers around the world. We are happy to cover an important role in the air cargo industry, by transporting pharmaceuticals globally every day through a solid commitment to the critical safeguarding of the products’ integrity”, says Lorenzo Stoll, Head of Cargo at Swiss International Air Lines.

With the pharmaceutical sector being one of the key driving forces of the Swiss economy, the air cargo industry identifies the need to establish a solid network of certified pharmaceutical trade lanes that meets consistent high-quality standards and ensures the products’ integrity. In addition to Swiss WorldCargo becoming fully CEIV Pharma re-certified for the second time in 2024, Swiss WorldCargo’s Zurich hub is double certified: GDP compliant by Swissmedic and CEIV Pharma certified.

About Swiss WorldCargo

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is Switzerland’s largest air carrier. With one of Europe’s most advanced and carbon-efficient aircraft fleets, SWISS is a premium airline that provides direct flights from Zurich and Geneva to keep Switzerland connected with Europe and the world. Its Swiss WorldCargo division offers an extensive range of airport-to-airport airfreight services for high-value, time-critical and care-intensive consignments. As The Airline of Switzerland, SWISS embodies its home country’s traditional values and is dedicated to delivering the highest product and service quality. The company has also committed to the ambitious climate goals of halving its 2019 net carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and making its operations entirely carbon-neutral by 2050, particularly by promoting the use of sustainable aviation fuels. SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group and is also a member of Star Alliance, the world’s biggest airline network.

Swiss WorldCargo serves the Italian city with 28 weekly flights using narrowbody Airbus A320/321 and Embraer aircraft. WFS, a member of the SATS Group, expects to handle annually 2,000 tonnes of cargo in Milan Malpensa for the airfreight division of SWISS. Additionally, Swiss WorldCargo’s customers will continue to benefit from road feeder services connecting Milan and Zurich 6 days a week.

Swiss WorldCargo has been a longstanding customer of WFS across its global network. At present, WFS provides cargo handling services for SWISS’ airfreight division at key airport stations in North & South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Its decision to appoint WFS as its air cargo ground handling partner in Milan Malpensa was based on WFS’ modern cargo handling facilities, the size of its operation, and its ability to provide dedicated solutions for Swiss WorldCargo’s specialised high-value, care-intensive and temperature-sensitive shipments.

“We’re glad to extend our already solid collaboration with WFS to another key station of our cargo operations, Milan Malpensa. With a significant number of weekly flights and tonnes of cargo transported between Milan and Zurich, we need an air cargo ground handling partner that knows our business well and can operate to the high-quality standards that we provide our customers globally. WFS can do that,” says Christian Wyss, Head of Cargo Offering Development & Steering at Swiss International Air Lines.

“We are proud that Swiss WorldCargo has extended its air cargo ground handling partnership with WFS to Milan Malpensa. The quality of Swiss WorldCargo’s products and services is highly respected across the industry, and we value the airfreight division’s confidence in our ability to meet these high standards,” said Massimiliano Introini, WFS’ Managing Director Italy. “In support of our service offering, as well as investing in our warehouse terminal, we have implemented digitalised processes in our warehouse and will be adding extra equipment to enhance our ULD and Pharma Handling capabilities.”

About Swiss WorldCargo

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is Switzerland’s largest air carrier. With one of Europe’s most advanced and carbon-efficient aircraft fleets, SWISS is a premium airline that provides direct flights from Zurich and Geneva to keep Switzerland connected with Europe and the world. Its Swiss WorldCargo division offers an extensive range of airport-to-airport airfreight services for high-value, time-critical and care-intensive consignments. As The Airline of Switzerland, SWISS embodies its home country’s traditional values and is dedicated to delivering the highest product and service quality. The company has also committed to the ambitious climate goals of halving its 2019 net carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and making its operations entirely carbon-neutral by 2050, particularly by promoting the use of sustainable aviation fuels. SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group and is also a member of Star Alliance, the world’s biggest airline network.

About WFS

Founded in 1984, WFS – a member of the SATS Group – is the world’s largest air cargo logistics provider and one of the leading providers of ground handling services with annual revenues of €2 billion. As a combined company, SATS and WFS create an Americas-Europe-APAC network with a global footprint of more than 215 cargo and ground handling stations in 27 countries, covering trade routes responsible for more than 50% of global air cargo volume. For more information, please visit www.wfs.aero

About SATS Group

SATS Ltd. (SATS) is a global leader in gateway services and Asia’s pre-eminent provider of food solutions. With heartfelt service and advanced technology, we connect people, businesses, and communities seamlessly through our comprehensive gateway services for customers such as airlines, cruise lines, freight forwarders, postal services and eCommerce companies. Using innovative food technologies and resilient supply chains, we create tasty, quality food in sustainable ways for airlines, foodservice chains, retailers, and institutions.

Fulfilling our purpose to feed and connect communities, SATS delights customers in over 215 locations and 27 countries across Asia Pacific, the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas. SATS has been listed on the Singapore Exchange since May 2000. For more information, please visit www.sats.com.sg

SWISS has recently secured its first-ever validation under Europe’s EMAS provisions for its environmental management system for the 2023 reporting year. SWISS, including Swiss WorldCargo, has also earned the international ISO 14001 certification for environmental management systems. As a result, SWISS will now be publishing an annual environmental report to further underline its commitment to sustainable and responsible business management.

For the first time, the environmental management system of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), including Swiss WorldCargo, has been validated under the strict criteria of Europe’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and has also been certified under the ISO 14001 international norm. The system is based on the continuous improvement principle and puts a particular focus on the main environmental impacts of the company, and of its business and operations.

EMAS is a voluntary-membership framework, established by the European Union to help companies continuously improve their environmental performance. EMAS validation requires the company to meet all the standards of the ISO 14001 international environmental management norm and satisfy further demands regarding transparency and continuous improvement. EMAS is regarded as the world’s most demanding environmental management system.

In the corresponding EMAS audit, the entire SWISS organization was evaluated by the external environmental verifiers on the extent to which sustainability is anchored within the company’s organization and management, as well as on the overarching collaborations across all staff levels on the ground and in the air. The successful audit of SWISS’ systematic environmental data collection activities and of the management of its environmental objectives applies to the company’s Zurich and Geneva operating sites for the 2023 reporting year and extends to its airfreight division Swiss WorldCargo. The audit was conducted by state-accredited environmental verifiers in the second quarter of 2024. 

“I’m very glad that our consistent sustainability efforts at SWISS and Swiss WorldCargo are being validated with the EMAS quality seal. One of our key responsibilities remains to always operate to the highest standards and this applies to the sustainability field as well, where we constantly strive to progress and act for a more sustainable air cargo industry” says Lorenzo Stoll, Head of Cargo at Swiss International Air Lines.

As part of its broader commitment on the sustainability front and in the context of its EMAS validation, SWISS will now be publishing an annual report on its environmental performance. In taking this step, SWISS is further underlining its commitment to sustainable and responsible business management. In addition to detailed information on the company’s environmental management system, the SWISS 2023 Environmental Report presents key corporate, transport and environmental facts and figures. The report is available for study or download at swiss.com.

About Swiss WorldCargo

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is Switzerland’s largest air carrier. With one of Europe’s most advanced and carbon-efficient aircraft fleets, SWISS is a premium airline that provides direct flights from Zurich and Geneva to keep Switzerland connected with Europe and the world. Its Swiss WorldCargo division offers an extensive range of airport-to-airport airfreight services for high-value, time-critical and care-intensive consignments. As The Airline of Switzerland, SWISS embodies its home country’s traditional values and is dedicated to delivering the highest product and service quality. The company has also committed to the ambitious climate goals of halving its 2019 net carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and making its operations entirely carbon-neutral by 2050, particularly by promoting the use of sustainable aviation fuels. SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group and is also a member of Star Alliance, the world’s biggest airline network.