Lufthansa Cargo has received comprehensive CEIV Pharma certification from the International Air Transport Association (International Air Transport Association), confirming its compliance with some of the highest global standards for the transport of pharmaceutical and temperature-sensitive healthcare products.
CEIV Pharma — which stands for “Center of Excellence for Independent Validators” — is designed to ensure strict quality standards across air cargo operations handling sensitive medical goods. In this latest certification round, the assessment goes a step further by also including IATA’s corporate-level approach, evaluating quality management across an entire network rather than focusing only on individual stations.
The certification was formally presented during the World Cargo Symposium in Lima, where IATA’s Global Head of Cargo, Brendan Sullivan, handed the certificate to Oliver von Götz, Vice President Global Fulfillment Management at Lufthansa Cargo.
Sullivan highlighted that the certification reflects a more integrated approach to quality control across global air cargo operations, where standardised processes, central governance, and local execution are aligned across the entire network.
From Lufthansa Cargo’s side, the certification reinforces its long-standing focus on pharmaceutical logistics.The company says it has steadily built up its expertise over the past decade, working closely with customers and continuously improving its processes, training, and infrastructure to maintain consistent quality across the entire transport chain.
A key element of this certification is the so-called “corporate approach,” which is specifically designed for global operators. Instead of evaluating isolated stations, it assesses quality management at a network level. This includes centrally defined standards for processes, training, and infrastructure, which are then rolled out across all relevant locations.
The certification covers major pharma hubs such as Frankfurt, Munich and Chicago, along with stations in Atlanta, Washington D.C., Mexico City and New York. It is also backed by a broader network of independently certified ground handling partners, giving Lufthansa Cargo access to one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical logistics networks. The audit process was carried out between November 2025 and March 2026.
Today, the carrier operates more than 350 stations worldwide, with around 230 offering passive temperature-controlled solutions and about 120 providing active temperature management.These capabilities rely on standardised procedures, trained staff, and continuous monitoring to ensure the integrity of pharmaceutical shipments that are time- and temperature-sensitive.
After ten consecutive years of CEIV Pharma certification, Lufthansa Cargo now strengthens its position as a key global player in pharmaceutical air logistics, in a sector where reliability and precision remain critical.
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