The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is marking 10 years of its Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) program, which continues to improve the air cargo supply chain’s performance on quality, safety, and compliance.
Launched in 2014 with CEIV Pharma to support the handling of specialized cargo, CEIV provides industry-wide certification programs covering pharmaceuticals (CEIV Pharma), live animals (CEIV Live Animals), perishables (CEIV Fresh), and dangerous goods (CEIV Lithium Batteries). These programs are built on the foundation of global standards and independent validation, enabling greater transparency and operational consistency.
Over the decade CEIV has:
- Established a global footprint of 699 companies, including 85 airlines and covering 250,000 trade lanes.
- Created 25 airport communities of airlines, ground handlers, freight forwarders, and regulators committed to global best practices.
- Trained 10,000 professionals and is supporting them with over 100,000 IATA manuals to deliver operational excellence and compliance.
- Proved its worth with a 99% renewal rate.
“CEIV has redefined the handling of special cargo shipments. Over the past decade, it has established a foundation of trust, transparency, and technical excellence across the supply chain—delivering tangible industry benefits, including improved compliance, a stronger culture of quality, enhanced cross-industry collaboration, and increased customer confidence. As the program continues to grow, it will remain a vital tool in helping the industry meet evolving challenges and expectations,” said Brendan Sullivan, Global IATA Global Head of Cargo.
Certification for the Future
CEIV continues to evolve in line with industry needs. New technologies now enable remote training and virtual assessments—improving accessibility without compromising quality.
IATA is working closely with regulatory authorities to increase recognition of CEIV certifications and expand the program’s reach into additional cargo segments.
“As global supply chains become more complex, the need for consistent, trusted standards is greater than ever. CEIV will continue to support innovation, strengthen compliance, and enhance safety across the air cargo ecosystem,” said Sullivan.
CEIV-certified companies can be found through IATA’s ONE Source platform, the industry’s reference for validated suppliers.
