Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) certificates are now recognised within the Toitū carbon certification programme, marking an important step forward for organisations seeking credible ways to address business travel greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
As New Zealand’s leading authority on credible climate impact and verification, Toitū Envirocare is playing a defining role in shaping how SAF certificates are understood, accounted for, and applied in practice.
Sustainable aviation fuel is the aviation sector’s most significant opportunity to reduce GHG emissions, enabling emissions reductions from existing fleets without waiting for new aircraft technology. Yet, with global supply accounting for less than 1% of jet fuel consumption, scaling SAF remains one of the industry's defining challenges.
Our new guidance materials give organisations greater confidence in using SAF certificates to address business travel emissions while supporting investment in lower-emissions aviation.
Supporting high-integrity SAF certificate accounting
We have established New Zealand’s first high-integrity framework for SAF certificate accounting and released a member-exclusive Position Statement and Guidance with requirements for their use within our Climate Impact Programme.
For organisations new to the subject, we have published an Explainer that outlines the fundamentals: what SAF certificates are, how they work, and why they matter. This publicly available material encourages informed decision-making.
As accounting approaches for SAF certificates continue to evolve globally, we will monitor international developments and refine our approach where appropriate to maintain alignment with best practice and high standards of credibility.
This gives organisations confidence that assessed SAF certificate programmes can reliably address emissions associated with business air travel, while helping support investment in sustainable aviation fuel.
Recognised SAF certificates
Air New Zealand's SAF certificate programme has been assessed against our integrity thresholds - certificates from this airline are accepted within the Toitū Climate Impact programme, provided Air New Zealand's certification remains current.
More on this in our Air New Zealand case study.
Other certificates may also be eligible
We expect further SAF certificate schemes to meet our integrity thresholds as airlines or clients request their assessment. Schemes must be assessed before being recognised in the Toitū Climate Impact Programme. As schemes are approved, they will be referenced in the Position Statement and Guidance.
Airlines interested in having their SAF certificate programmes assessed are encouraged to contact our sector expert below.
Interested in using SAF certificates?
For clients interested in using SAF certificates in your climate strategy, explore the Toitū resources provided below or contact your dedicated Programme Lead or our Client Support Team at support@toitu.co.nz, or call 0800 366 275 (option 2) at any time.
- Explainer (publicly available) – for organisations new to SAF certificates, this document will help you understand what SAF certificates are, how they work, and why they matter.
- Position Statement and Guidance (member-exclusive) – for programme members looking to use SAF certificates, this document explains how SAFc can be recognised and reported, and what evidence needs to be provided for use within our Climate Impact Programme.
Contact us
Turn your climate ambition into real business impact. Contact a Toitū sector expert and explore our leading certification and advisory options today.
Javier Aylwin
Primary Industries, Manufacturing & Transport
