DHL Global Forwarding is working with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to implement the IATA CEIV Pharma Certification across the logistics company’s key facilities around the world.

The first station to achieve this certification is in Brussels, Belgium. The certificate is given by IATA after a range of audits and training of the staff, and it involves IATA Temperature Control Regulations (TCR), European Union Goods Distribution Practices (EU GDP), World Health Organization Annex 5 and United States Pharmacopeia Standards.

“As global demand for structurally complex, temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products grows, the life sciences and healthcare sector faces the challenges of increasingly stricter regulations and the need for smart cold chains that can secure product integrity and patients’ safety,” said David Bang, Global Head of DHL Temperature Management Solutions, DHL Global Forwarding.

“The IATA CEIV certification is yet another initiative within part of our continuous improvement activities to ensure our specialized and compliant network is up to the latest quality standard that recommends DHL as the right partner to the life sciences and healthcare sector.”

The first phase of achieving global certification will include 30 of its DHL Air Thermonet GDP Compliant stations globally. This will be conducted in close coordination between IATA and DHL. The assessments are expected to begin in Q3 of 2016.

IATA has track record in implementing global standards in dangerous goods, pharmaceutical handing and live animals amongst other things. As such it represents a quality reference for the various industry players such as handling agents, airlines, forwarders, shippers and companies in the life science and healthcare sector.

“DHL’s commitment to join the CEIV pharma program and certify its key global Thermonet facilities is good news for customers who can have even more confidence that their life-saving and temperature sensitive products will be delivered in impeccable condition.

“For the industry, it is another step towards achieving industry alignment and standardization across the pharmaceutical logistic supply chain, further enhancing the capabilities of the global pharma network,” said Glyn Hughes, IATA Global Head of Cargo.