Air Canada turns Earth Month spotlight on illegal wildlife trade

Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline and flag carrier and a founding member of the Star Alliance, has launched an initiative to spotlight the illegal wildlife trade and its impact on global biodiversity, the company said in a press release on Wednesday, renowned conservationist and primatologist Jane Goodall’s 90th birthday.

The awareness campaign, in collaboration with the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada and Dr Goodall herself, will showcase on the airline’s in-flight entertainment welcome screens and social media pages animals that are endangered by the illegal trade in wildlife. This campaign will last through Earth Month, with a special message from Dr Goodall.

“Air Canada plays an important role in protecting biodiversity around the world and I’ve been proud to see Air Canada team up with the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada to bring more awareness to this issue,” said Bella Lam, chief executive officer at the institute. “Their significant commitment to not only fighting the illegal wildlife trade through their policies and procedures, but using their platform to educate on this very important issue is commendable,” she added.

“At Air Canada, our belief is [that] while much of what we do to reduce our environmental footprint is about leaving less, we also need to do more to improve our planet’s fragile ecosystems,” said Valerie Durand, head of investor relations and corporate sustainability.

Durand said that as a global airline, Air Canada “can use our platform to bring more awareness to the illegal wildlife trade and how that affects overall biodiversity”.

She said the airline was honoured to celebrate Dr Goodall’s 90^th year by supporting her birthday tour across Canada “to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards”.

Air Canada has a zero-tolerance policy on carrying banned species, hunting trophies, and products associated with the illegal wildlife trade. It became a signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration in 2020, and was the first airline in the Americas to hold the International Air Transport Association’s IWT certiﬁcation, which confirms that policies and procedures are in place to reduce the likelihood of transportation of illegal wildlife products. The airline became a member of the United for Wildlife’s North America chapter launched in 2022, and has created illegal wildlife trade e-learning modules for all frontline employees and managers in Air Canada Cargo, its freight business.

To support the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada’s environment and conservation work, Aeroplan will launch a ‘Points Match Week’, beginning Earth Day. All points donated by Aeroplan members between April 22 and April 28 will be matched at cent per cent by Aeroplan, with all proceeds going directly to the institute.

Also Read: Conservationist Jane Goodall going strong at 90

Air Canada also becomes the first airline globally to showcase conservation documentaries from Age of Union, a non-profit environmental alliance that supports a global community of changemakers working on the ground to protect the planet’s threatened species and ecosystems. Dax Dasilva, founder of Age of Union, is part of the Jane Goodall Legacy Foundation’s Council for Hope, a group of respected and influential individuals from the fields of conservation, science, business, government, media, and the arts with a shared mission for protecting the planet and perpetuating Dr Goodall’s legacy as a lasting force for good.

Passengers can find these documentaries onboard in a newly launched environment-focused film and TV category titled ‘Our Planet’ in the airline’s inflight entertainment. Beginning this month, customers will be able to watch The Corridor, We Are The St. Lawrence River, CAUGHT, and more.