National carrier Air India received the National Environment Health and Safety Award for its outstanding contribution to reducing carbon emissions for the year 2015 from the World Quality Congress and World Sustainability Forum.
Harpreet A. D Singh, Executive Director and Chief of Flight Safety, Air India, received the award on behalf of Air India at a ceremony in Mumbai recently.
Ashwani Lohani, Chairman and Managing Director of Air India said, "The award is a positive affirmation of the continuous efforts made by Air India to protect the environment.
The diligent implementation of Air India's environment management system has resulted in the reduction of carbon emissions this year. The award is indeed a matter of pride for me and the entire Air India family that strives to foster a culture of responsibility."
Air India's efforts have won several accolades in the past, notable among them being the national energy conservation award by the bureau for energy efficiency, in 2009, 2011 and 2013.
Recently, the airline was presented the IATA environmental assessment certificate (IEnvA) for adopting IATA international standards and best practices to save the environment. Air India is the first airline in the country to have been awarded the certification.
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Air India is the first airline in India to establish an environment policy and follow an Environment Management System (EMS). The EMS is responsible for maintaining data and information pertaining to fuel consumption, carbon emissions, and energy demand, among other things. It also aids in developing future action plans to reduce the carbon footprint of the airline and identify and comply with legal and other regulatory obligations.
Air India has adopted an integrated approach to carbon emissions reduction, which covers every aspect from ground to the air. New procedures have been established which take into consideration current aircraft performance, uneconomical use of aircraft systems and unnecessary carrying of weight.