Name
Panel - Strengthening Safety Culture in Aviation: How do we Improve Trust, Leadership, and Risk Management
Date & Time
Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Stephen Jangelis
Description

A strong safety culture is the backbone of any airline, directly influencing operational integrity, risk management, and overall aviation safety. It goes beyond just compliance with regulations—it requires a shared commitment at all organizational levels, to prioritize safety above all else. However, maintaining or improving this culture presents significant challenges.  Airlines must balance efficiency and business metric pressures with safety priorities, consistently work to monitor and improve the safety culture, and ensure continuous engagement from frontline employees to top leadership.  A strong, healthy safety culture begins with trust, in the non-punitive use of safety data and reporting, in the necessary feedback loop on aviation safety risks and mitigations, and in the inclusion of pilots in the safety risk management process.  However, there are differences in the level of trust and the overall level of safety culture strength at different airlines.  Frontline employees serve a critical role in the health of the reporting culture at their airline.  Leadership also plays a crucial role in setting the tone, demonstrating safety as a core value through transparent policies, regular training, and consistent reinforcement of safety behaviors.  What role should frontline employees, as well as management play in the propagation of a healthy safety culture?  What measures are available to assess the health of the safety culture at each airline?  How resilient is the safety culture, when a significant event challenges mutual trust? What can and should frontline employees do to affect change when safety culture is not where it should be?  This panel will explore best practices, real-world challenges, and actionable strategies for fostering a resilient, adaptable, and proactive safety culture.

Location Name
Grand Ballroom
Full Address
Hilton Chicago Hotel
720 S. Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605
United States
Session Type
Forum