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Air Astana has become the first airline in Central Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States to obtain Sustainable Procurement certification under the International Air Transport Association’s Integrated Sustainability Program, signaling a significant step in embedding environmental and social criteria into the carrier’s global supply chain.
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New IATA Recognition Places Procurement at the Heart of ESG
According to publicly available corporate updates, Air Astana’s new status under IATA’s Integrated Sustainability Program (ISP) Sustainable Procurement module recognizes that the airline has adopted a structured framework for integrating environmental, social and governance considerations into the way it sources goods and services. The certification follows earlier ISP certifications granted to carriers in Asia and Oceania, making Air Astana the third airline worldwide to achieve this level of recognition and the first from Central Asia and the CIS.
Information shared through company channels indicates that the ISP Sustainable Procurement certification assesses how airlines embed ESG requirements across supplier selection, contract management and ongoing performance reviews. The framework is designed to align with internationally recognized best practices and to complement other IATA sustainability tools, such as its broader Sustainability Performance standards and IEnvA environmental management modules.
IATA’s own description of its certification services highlights that the association positions these schemes as independent, third party validation of an air transport company’s adherence to industry standards and regulatory expectations. The Sustainable Procurement module extends that approach into the supply chain, giving airlines a defined pathway to link purchasing decisions with climate, resource efficiency and social responsibility goals.
For Air Astana, the certification builds on earlier engagement with IATA-led sustainability initiatives, including participation in pilot work to refine sustainable procurement standards and the airline’s contribution of regional insights from Central Asia and the CIS to shape a global ESG monitoring framework.
What the Sustainable Procurement Certification Covers
Documentation describing the ISP Sustainable Procurement module indicates that the certification is intended to help aviation organizations embed sustainability into purchasing through practical standards, metrics and governance processes. Under this model, airlines are expected to integrate ESG criteria into requests for proposals, supplier risk assessments and ongoing monitoring, as well as to establish clear internal accountability for sustainable sourcing decisions.
Materials published by IATA on its ISP sustainability suite explain that the overall program delivers standardized environmental, social and governance metrics to support data driven decision making and credible public reporting. While the Sustainability Performance module focuses on measuring outcomes, the Sustainable Procurement certification concentrates on the systems and policies that guide how an airline engages its suppliers.
Air Astana’s own sustainability disclosures describe a broader procurement framework built around a dedicated Sustainability and ESG Procurement Policy Statement and a Supplier Code of Conduct. These documents set expectations on topics such as emissions, resource use, labor practices, ethics and compliance for vendors that support the airline’s operations across its network. The new certification effectively acknowledges that this governance structure has been assessed against IATA’s criteria and found to be aligned with international benchmarks.
Reports indicate that the airline’s participation in earlier ISP pilot work contributed to the development of the Sustainable Procurement standards themselves, with feedback from Air Astana helping to adapt the global framework to the realities of aviation supply chains in Central Asia and neighboring markets.
Regional First for Central Asia’s Largest Airline Group
Public filings describe Air Astana Group as the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus by revenue and fleet size, with a network that spans more than 60 destinations across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Against that backdrop, becoming the first carrier in Central Asia and the CIS to gain ISP Sustainable Procurement certification gives the airline a visible leadership position on ESG practices within the region’s aviation sector.
Air Astana has in recent years linked its growth strategy to a wider sustainability agenda, including an updated Low Carbon Development Programme that brings its net zero target forward to 2050 in line with long term industry goals. Group reports also highlight work on sustainable aviation fuel feasibility in Kazakhstan and participation in IATA’s CO2 Connect initiative, which uses operational data from airlines to refine emissions calculations.
The new procurement focused certification broadens this climate and ESG narrative beyond flight operations and fuel use. By applying sustainability criteria to aircraft parts, ground handling, catering, IT systems and other contracted services, the airline’s purchasing decisions have the potential to influence a wide range of suppliers in Kazakhstan and internationally.
Because aviation value chains are heavily interconnected, Air Astana’s move may also encourage regional partners, including airports, maintenance providers and logistics companies, to adjust their own practices to remain competitive in tenders where ESG performance is explicitly assessed.
Implications for Suppliers and the Wider Supply Chain
According to IATA’s description of the ISP Sustainable Procurement approach, certified organizations are expected to move beyond high level policy statements and embed sustainability requirements into day to day procurement workflows. This typically involves defining minimum ESG standards for suppliers, incorporating sustainability scoring into bid evaluations and establishing processes to monitor performance over the life of a contract.
For companies doing business with Air Astana, the certification signals that ESG expectations are likely to become more explicit and more closely tracked. The airline’s Supplier Code of Conduct, referenced in its sustainability reporting, already sets out detailed criteria on issues such as emissions management, health and safety, human rights and business ethics. The ISP certification reinforces that these documents are intended to guide actual purchasing behavior, not only serve as aspirational guidelines.
Industry observers note that sustainable procurement programs can create both challenges and opportunities for vendors. Suppliers may need to invest in improved environmental performance, data reporting capabilities or social compliance systems to meet tender requirements. At the same time, alignment with a certified buyer’s standards can open access to long term contracts and new markets where ESG credentials are increasingly used as a differentiator.
In the case of Air Astana, the airline’s role as a leading buyer of aviation services in Central Asia suggests that its certification could have a ripple effect along regional supply chains, encouraging a broader segment of the market to align with international sustainability benchmarks promoted through IATA’s ISP framework.
Positioning Within Global Aviation Sustainability Trends
The introduction and expansion of IATA’s Integrated Sustainability Program reflects a wider shift in global aviation, where environmental and social performance is moving closer to the core of commercial strategy. Tools such as IEnvA, Sustainability Performance and Sustainable Procurement are intended to provide airlines with standardized approaches for measuring, managing and communicating ESG progress across different parts of their business.
Air Astana’s adoption of ISP Sustainable Procurement follows a series of recognitions related to service quality and operational performance, including multiple regional awards and safety audits. By adding a supply chain focused certification to its portfolio, the airline aligns itself with a growing group of carriers that view procurement as a lever for achieving climate and social targets alongside traditional operational initiatives such as fleet renewal and fuel efficiency measures.
As regulators, investors and passengers pay closer attention to how airlines manage their broader environmental and social footprint, procurement practices are likely to attract increased scrutiny. Certifications backed by industry bodies provide one visible way for carriers to demonstrate that their internal systems have been evaluated against common standards, although long term credibility will depend on how effectively those systems translate into measurable impacts.
For Central Asia’s aviation market, Air Astana’s new certification offers an example of how regional carriers can engage with emerging sustainability frameworks while continuing to expand networks and fleets. The developments also suggest that ESG considerations will play a more prominent role in how future partnerships, codeshares and supply contracts are structured across the wider region.
https://fi.linkedin.com/company/air-astana
https://ir.airastana.com/media/8dea6c7862820d9/annual-report-2025.pdf
https://www.ticker.app/lse/AIRA/rns/2026-04-30/Publication-of-Annual-Report-and-Accounts-2025/6604C