Jamaica’s Sangster International Airport (SIA) has achieved a landmark milestone in sustainable aviation, securing official upgrade to Level 3 status under Airports Council International’s (ACI) globally respected Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program, the leading international benchmark for airport carbon management. The certification was formally confirmed by MBJ Airports Limited, the operator that manages the Montego Bay-based airport.
Unlike lower accreditation levels that focus on individual operator action, Level 3 accreditation requires airports to build coordinated cross-stakeholder carbon reduction frameworks, uniting airlines, ground handling firms, on-site tenants and other operational partners around a shared, measurable commitment to cutting emissions. This shift moves environmental responsibility from a single-entity initiative to a collective effort that spans the entire airport community.
The announcement comes just days after the United Nations’ World Environment Day on June 5, the global campaign designed to drive awareness and coordinated action for environmental protection. For MBJ Airports, the new accreditation marks both a celebration of progress already delivered and a public renewal of the organization’s long-term sustainability commitments that will shape the airport’s strategic direction for years to come.
Shane Munroe, Chief Executive Officer of MBJ Airports Limited, emphasized that this collaborative, holistic approach places SIA among a small, elite group of airports worldwide that are delivering tangible, ecosystem-wide climate action. “This accreditation validates the tireless work of our team to build a culture of environmental responsibility that touches every part of our operations,” Munroe explained. “Sustainability is not an afterthought for us—it is a core value embedded into every stage of planning, every daily operation, and every partnership we build at Sangster International Airport. We are proud of what we have accomplished so far, and we are even more energized to continue raising the bar for environmental management across the Caribbean and the broader region.”
The achievement earned formal recognition from the accrediting body, with ACI-Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC) offering official congratulations to the MBJ team. Francisco M Medela Alonso, Industry Affairs Director for ACI-LAC, noted in his statement that reaching Level 3 is a substantial accomplishment that clearly demonstrates the airport’s dedication to engaging all stakeholders in the collective fight against carbon emissions.
Administered locally by Environmental Minds, the new Level 3 certification adds further prestige to SIA’s already robust portfolio of environmental management credentials. The airport already holds ISO 14001 certification, the globally recognized standard for Environmental Management Systems. According to MBJ, this existing certification highlights the airport’s consistent, standards-aligned strategy for minimizing its environmental footprint across every dimension of its operations.
MBJ confirmed that together, these dual certifications solidify SIA’s standing as a regional leader and a replicable model for sustainable airport management across the Caribbean and beyond.