What is IATA's CEIV Program?

Talking about meeting standards of excellence for special cargo handling is good. Achieving certification that proves those standards have been met is better because it gives evidence of excellence.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) offers several certification programs. IATA’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) certification program was created to help organizations throughout the air cargo supply chain achieve operational excellence in the handling and transportation of special cargo.

Today there are four CEIV certifications: Pharma (pharmaceuticals), Fresh (perishables), Live Animals and Li-batt (lithium batteries).

Certified entities include airlines, ramp handlers, cargo handling facilities, solution providers, airport operators and freight forwarders. They can be found using IATA’s ONE Source platform.

Key benefits of CEIV certification, according to IATA officials, include compliance with industry regulations, guidelines and recommended practices; efficient processes; risk mitigation; improved results; delivery of products and services with optimal quality and safety; enhanced credibility and greater competitiveness.

In addition to these benefits, IATA says there are other aspects to consider:

Global Standardization: CEIV certification ensures that companies adhere to a globally recognized standard, facilitating smoother international operations and fostering trust among global partners.
Customer Confidence: Certification provides customers with confidence in the company's ability to handle their products safely and efficiently, particularly important in sensitive sectors such as pharmaceuticals and perishable goods.
Operational Excellence: The rigorous standards required for CEIV certification drive continuous improvement in operational practices, leading to overall operational excellence and higher employee performance.
Market Differentiation: In a competitive marketplace, CEIV certification can serve as a key differentiator, signaling to potential clients and partners that a company is committed to the highest standards of quality and safety.
Regulatory Preparedness: Being CEIV certified means a company is well-prepared to meet regulatory requirements, reducing the likelihood of compliance issues and associated fines or disruptions.

When considering the greatest benefit of CEIV certification, Yaniv Sorany, principal, IATA Certification, says, it is the enhanced credibility and trust it fosters that stands out.

“In industries where safety, quality and reliability are paramount, having CEIV certification demonstrates a company's commitment to maintaining the highest standards,” Sorany explains.

“IATA Certification is the world's leading assessment, auditing and certification body,” he continues. “We have the most recognized certification programs for the operational compliance and excellence.

“Our vision is to enable the continued growth of a safe, secure, efficient, sustainable and interconnected air transport industry. Our mission is to provide worldwide expertise and independent assessment, auditing and certification services that make a difference in air transportation. And we are committed to constantly working to enhance, update and revise our CEIV certification programs so that they maintain their relevance for all our customers.”

CEIV Pharma

The first – and most popular – CEIV program is CEIV Pharma, which has 509 certified entities, including 44 airlines, 270 freight forwarders, 126 cargo handling facilities and 45 ramp handlers.

CEIV Pharma is designed to ensure that facilities, equipment, operations and personnel meet the standards, regulations and guidelines that pharmaceutical manufacturers require. The aim is to enhance industry knowledge and establish a consistent global standard.

Brussels Airport (BRU) was the first airport where cargo community stakeholders received the CEIV Pharma certification, introduced in 2015. In fact, Brussels Airport developed the program in collaboration with IATA and was the pilot airport with its cargo community approach. The airport together with the pharmaceutical shippers in the BRU pharma shippers’ forum validated the CEIV checklist.

BRU is known for its dedicated infrastructure for the transport and handling of products that require an unbroken cold chain, in particular pharmaceutical and biotech products, and the Belgian pharmaceutical industry is highly export-oriented.

“Manufacturers have high expectations and specific requirements with regard to maintaining the quality of the products and the properties of the active ingredients throughout the logistics chain. They call on transportation services that, on the one hand, ensure the shortest route to the final customer and, on the other hand, maintain the quality of the product through an unbroken cold chain. For these companies, transport by air remains the best possible solution,” according to the BRU website.

To elevate CEIV Pharma certification, IATA recently worked with Pharma.Aero, a collaboration platform, launched by BRU with Miami International Airport and Changi Airport Group and based on the CEIV program. Together, the organizations studied CEIV Pharma, then published their findings this year in a white paper. Frédéric Léger, IATA senior vice president of commercial products and services, says the organizations identified opportunities for the program such as reaching smaller enterprises and better serving underserved markets as well as process enhancements.

CEIV Live Animals

To help ensure the well-being of animals traveling by air, IATA introduced CEIV Live Animals in 2018.

CEIV Live Animals has 30 certified entities, including eight airlines and four ramp handlers. While transporting live animals by air is not something everyone is willing to do, IATA officials say transporting animals by air is considered to be the most humane and expedient method of transportation over long distances

As IATA’s understanding of different animal species has grown, including learning behaviors, stressors and comfort needs, regulations have become more detailed (How to Handle Animals with Care).

To ensure the safety and welfare of animals, avoid additional stress, injury and even death, organizations with CEIV Live Animals certifications follow very specific requirements.

These requirements are based on the provisions of IATA's Live Animals Regulations (LAR), recognized by respected bodies like the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the member states of the European Union, as the benchmark guidelines for the carriage of live animals by air.

Air Canada in 2018 became the first airline to be awarded IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) for Live Animals Logistics certification and in 2022 became the first airline to be recertified.

Other airlines with CEIV Live Animals certification include Qatar, Turkish Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Avianca Cargo, National Air Cargo Group and Challenge Airlines.

Ramp handlers with CEIV Live Animals certification include Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (HACTL)at Hong Kong International Airport, SAASA Ramp Services at Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM), dnata (BRU) and Challenge Handling at Liege Airport (LGG).

CEIV Fresh

CEIV Fresh aims to improve the handling and the transport of perishable products to ensure food safety, as well as reduce food waste and loss along the supply chain.

Insufficient refrigeration causes food to be wasted. About 12 percent of total food production is lost due to insufficient refrigeration, according to IATA, which officials emphasize every supply chain stakeholder has a responsibility to do their part to safeguard the world's food supply.

"Given the sensitive nature of perishables, maintaining product integrity requires exceptional standards,” said Nick Careen, IATA's senior vice president for operations, safety and security, when All Nippon Airways (ANA) became the first Japanese Airline to receive CEIV Fresh certification.

CEIV Fresh certification is based on the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety control list, the IATA Perishable Cargo Regulations (PCR), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) international standard for food safety management systems 22000:2018, and other standards related to fresh food.

HACTL and Cathay Pacific Services Limited (CPSL) were the first cargo handling agents in the world to achieve the IATA CEIV Fresh accreditation, as part of an Airport Authority Hong Kong initiative to make the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) the world’s first CEIV Fresh hub in 2019.

CEIV Fresh has 43 certified entities including 12 airlines and six ramp handlers.

CEIV Li-batt

The safe and efficient transport of lithium batteries, including by air, is becoming increasingly important, says Sorany.

Lithium batteries have become the preferred energy source for a wide variety of consumer goods, and according to IATA, these batteries represent one-third of the dangerous goods transported by air. The number of lithium batteries shipped by air continues to rise. The global lithium-ion battery market size is projected to grow from $41.1 billion in 2021 to $116.6 billion by 2030.

Due to their propensity to overheat, lithium batteries can pose a substantial hazard in aviation. This overheating can trigger a phenomenon known as thermal runaway, leading to the emission of smoke, the ignition of flames, and in some instances, even explosions. Such occurrences are particularly perilous during a flight. The IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validators Lithium Batteries (CEIV Li-batt) certification program is instrumental in helping mitigate these risks.

CEIV Li-batt certification, specifically named for lithium batteries, essentially covers best practices and safety measures for handling and transporting all types of batteries, says Sorany. Li-batt certification demonstrates that shippers, freight forwarders, cargo handling facilities and airlines adhere to relevant transport regulations and showcases their proficiency in managing and transporting battery products, he says.

“CEIV Li-batt assures shippers that lithium battery shipments are transported securely, efficiently, and in compliance with regulations,” he says. “Additionally, it raises awareness of batteries as hazardous goods and fosters enhanced collaboration and trust among stakeholders.”

Shipments of lithium batteries (alone or with finished products) must comply with well-established global safety standards for how they are manufactured, tested, packed, marked, labeled and documented. These requirements are a key element of the IATA Lithium-Battery Shipping Regulations (LBSR) and of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), which combine regulatory and operational input from industry and government experts.

In 2021 CEVA Logistics achieved the first CEIV Lithium Battery certification for its operations at Hong Kong International Airport and at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, following an extensive period of piloting.

Today CEIV Li-batt has 96 certified entities, including 14 airlines and 11 ramp handlers.

Regarding other classes of dangerous goods, Sorany says IATA continuously analyzes industry challenges and concerns related to the transportation of dangerous goods and explores solutions / services that could help mitigate risk.

“In the future this could include a certification to cover the full spectrum of dangerous goods transported by air,” he notes.

How to Achieve CEIV Certification

IATA CEIV certification involves a comprehensive assessment of an airline's operational processes, staff training programs and compliance with global safety regulations.

At least two staff members must pass a management course, then an assessor visits for three to four days to observe that current operations, processes and procedures are followed as described and conform to CEIV audit checklist requirements. The assessor then provides feedback, including a gap analysis report and list of areas that need improvement. The entity seeking certification responds with a corrective action plan and implementation data, which the assessor validates.

“There is a lot of preparation work involved in the certification process,” Yaniv Sorany, principal, IATA Certification, says.

Fortunately, he notes, the CEIV process is tailored to guide and support customers towards achieving success.

Sorany summarizes key aspects of the program. They include:

Training: Equipping organizations with the knowledge to understand the standards and regulatory requirements, IATA also provides organizations with the skills.
Assessment: GAP analysis identifies areas for improvement
Certification: Awarded following the implementation of the findings, certification ensures that the standards are fully implemented.
Continuous improvements: Periodic re-certification and spot checks are carried out to ensure the implementation of standard is on track.

“The main challenges for the majority of the companies in both the certification and re-certification process is to demonstrate continued improvements of the systems, products, processes, procedures and operations,” Sorany says.

CEIV Certification is valid for one to three years depending on the program. After this period, a recertification process ensures the organization's commitment to continuous improvement.

Additionally, Sorany says IATA may conduct spot checks, quality checks, and surveillance audits to maintain the highest quality standards among our certified organizations.

Will There Be Other CEIV Certifications?

While the primary focus of certifications from Center of Excellence for Independent Validators is on the transportation of special cargo and lithium batteries shipments, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) certification portfolio also includes safety, security, operation, cargo, environment and sustainability and training programs.

In the area of environment and sustainability, IATA has the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) Program. IEnvA is a certification program, developed to independently assess the commitment of aviation stakeholders such as airlines, airports, cargo handling facilities, freight forwarders and ramp handlers, to continuously improve their environmental and sustainability performance. IEnvA is based on globally recognized standards and industry best practices, including the ISO 14001 environmental management system standard and the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).

IATA is actively developing comprehensive standards that span the broad spectrum of sustainability. These include initiatives for supply chain sustainability, the establishment of key environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance indicators, and the enhancement of corporate social performance. Yaniv Sorany, principal, IATA Certification, says these efforts are aimed at not only addressing the immediate environmental challenges but also at ensuring long-term sustainability, while empowering organizations to accurately measure and track their sustainability performance across expertly selected key performance indicators that cover the full ESG spectrum and align with prominent ESG Raters and Reporting Frameworks.

In the area of training, the Competency-Based Training and Assessment Center Program (CBTA Center) is the global certification program on certifying organizations for compliance with the training provisions in accordance with competency-based training and assessment approach. The CBTA Center provides organizations the opportunity to acquire accreditation from IATA, attesting that their training is validated against the IATA CBTA Center program’s policy, standards and requirements. Three types of accreditations are possible through IATA’s CBTA Centers program: CBTA Corporate, CBTA Provider and CBTA Excellence. Currently, more than 200 CBTA Centers are distributed in 65 countries and every year train approximately 75,000 students within this growing network.

With the adoption of CBTA for other job functions, Sorany says IATA is studying the market to expand the CBTA Center to cover all aviation operational related training in the area of cargo, ground operation and general aviation safety and provide greater support to the expected growth of the aviation workforce.