Qatar Airways has announced its commitment as the Official Airline Partner of United for Wildlife (UfW), an initiative working to tackle the illegal wildlife trade and protect endangered species, founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales in 2014. This prestigious partnership underscores Qatar Airways’ unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation. Qatar Airways and United for Wildlife will pursue campaigns around their shared mission to fight the illegal wildlife trade and advance the work of the United for Wildlife Regional Chapters.
Qatar Airways Cargo launched its WeQare chapter: Rewild the Planet corporate sustainability initiative in 2020. As a part of the initiative, Qatar Airways Cargo encourages the preservation of ecological balance by providing free transportation services to organisations involved in returning wild animals to their natural habitat. One of the notable milestones of this initiative was the successful transportation of seven lions from Ukraine in 2021. This operation demonstrated Qatar Airways dedication to supporting the efforts of NGOs and conservation organisations in their vital work to rewild the planet.
Qatar Airways is the official airline to be certified to the industry standard for the prevention of illegal wildlife trafficking in aviation. The certification confirms that an airline has procedures, staff training and the reporting protocols that help with better detection of illegal wildlife products. Qatar Airways Group maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards the transportation of illegal wildlife and products, and has employees that undertake the Illegal Wildlife Trade Awareness training. This training serves the dual purpose of enhancing knowledge and awareness about trafficking and equipping employees with skills to identify and respond effectively should they encounter trafficking activities.
The airline’s participation in the United for Wildlife Global Summit in Singapore aligns with its sustainability initiatives and responsibilities and encourages other organisations and individuals to join in their commitment to preserving the planet’s precious biodiversity, said a release.