MONTREAL, July 16, 2019 /CNW/ - Air Transat, Canada's number one leisure airline, has achieved ISO 14001:2015 certification for its head office. The distinction conferred on the building at 5959 Côte-Vertu Boulevard in Montreal is the culmination of a long process by the company to implement a system for environmental management and continuous improvement of its sustainability practices.
"We have just taken another significant step forward, and are very proud of this accomplishment, which reflects all of the environmental efforts made by our team," says Air Transat President Jean-François Lemay. "For more than 10 years now, we've been incorporating environmentally responsible practices into our operations, and their success and benefits depend largely on our employees' commitment and diligence in ensuring their application day after day."
Scope of the environmental management system (EMS)
Air Transat's environmental management system applies to its head office, comprising the administrative offices and maintenance centre, and includes building management as well as landscaping. The carrier's environmental policy focuses on five primary challenges: greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, energy use, solid-waste production, hazardous materials, and wastewater. Mitigation targets for each are clearly stated, and all operations are standardized according to environmentally responsible practices supervised by the EMS team.
Those practices encompass a host of energy-optimization initiatives, which have included installation of a solar wall at the head office to lower energy consumption and GHG emissions, and banning of all single-use plastics in the cafeteria. Air Transat was awarded the highest level of certification, Level 3 – Performance, by the Quebec government under its ICI ON RECYCLE! Program, for its Montreal headquarters in 2011, 2014 and 2017. The building was also the first ever in Canada to be certified LEED Platinum in the Existing Buildings category.
A committed team
Securing the ISO 14001 certification required training and coaching for all employees working at the head office, with the key driver of this successful endeavour being the longstanding commitment and dedication of the senior executive team and all personnel toward sustainability principles. The ISO audit identified employee pride in the company's environmental stewardship efforts among Air Transat's strengths, along with the organization's engagement and structure, which are conducive to improved environmental performance.
The audit also acknowledged the company's outstanding communications efforts in raising employee awareness and informing them about environmentally responsible practices, by means of recurring campaigns and a diverse array of communications tools. Lastly, given that its EMS promotes continuous improvement, Air Transat remains fully committed to continuing its many efforts in favour of exemplary environmental performance.
About Air Transat
Air Transat is Canada's number one leisure airline. It flies to some 60 international destinations in more than 25 countries in the Americas and Europe, offers domestic and connecting flights within Canada, and carries some 5 million passengers every year. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc., a leading integrated international tourism company specializing in holiday travel and offering vacation packages, hotel stays and air travel. Transat was awarded Travelife certification in 2018 in recognition of its commitment to sustainable development. Based in Montreal, it has 5,000 employees.
Recent distinctions and awards
- Named World's Best Leisure Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards
- Voted Best Tour Operator and Favourite Overall Supplier at the Agents' Choice Awards presented by Baxter Travel Media
- Voted Best Airline and Best Tour Operator at the Trophées Uni-Vers awards organized by the Association des Agents de Voyages du Québec
- Ranked among Canada's Best Employers and first among airlines on Forbes magazine's list
SOURCE Transat A.T. Inc.
