Delta Cargo joins sustainability alliance

Freight carrier Delta Cargo is taking a step toward sustainability by joining the Sustainable Air Freight Alliance (SAFA), the company said Wednesday.

The move follows Delta’s pledge earlier this year to become the world’s first carbon-neutral airline; it has committed $1 billion over the next 10 years to mitigate all emissions from its global business, company leaders said.

SAFA is a collaboration between shippers, freight forwarders, and airlines to track and reduce emissions from air freight and promote responsible freight transport. The effort is managed by global sustainability nonprofit group Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), which has more than 250 member companies around the world.

“We’re proud to join SAFA as we accelerate our sustainability goals while also being aligned with our customers and their values,” Shawn Cole, vice president of Delta Cargo, said in a statement announcing the collaboration. “We are in the midst of the worst global pandemic in living memory, but we can’t afford to take sustainability off the agenda. Through this commitment, we are supporting Delta’s goal to be a more environmentally friendly airline for generations to come.”

Delta Cargo has already started taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint, including replacing light bulbs in its warehouses to energy-efficient LED lighting and switching to electric tugs. The airline is also working with its counterparts through SAFA to share best practices and create common goals and metrics, company leaders said.