Accident investigations have identified that a positive safety culture is a critical factor in the prevention of accidents and incidents. It is also recognized that enabling a strong organizational safety culture requires continual application of all employees at every level, but especially commitment from top executives, as leadership thoughts and actions cascade down the organization and impact the actions of all employees.  

This is why providing greater visibility to the importance of Safety Leadership and Safety Culture in a safety-critical industry, such as aviation, is a priority and part of the IATA 3-pillar safety strategy. 

To raise awareness on these important topics, IATA initiated the development the IATA Safety Leadership Charter.  IATA’s "Safety Talks" initiative was launched to bring the Safety Leadership Charter to life. 

 Through these activities, IATA aims to promote learning, understanding and continuous improvement of organizational culture – practices and behaviours – that support the effective management of safety risks within the aviation ecosystem.

On September 19, 2023, at the IATA World Safety and Operations Conference in Hanoi, IATA announced the launch of the IATA Safety Leadership Charter and its first signatories.

The IATA Safety Leadership Charter represents a commitment by industry leaders to the continuous evolution of safety culture within their organizations and by IATA to support this evolution worldwide. It is founded on the principle that a positive safety culture supports open reporting and a learning culture; it facilitates the effective management of safety risks and creates employee engagement based on trust. It acts as an essential enabler for a successful business and a thriving aviation industry.

Share your initiative

Demonstrating their leadership and commitment to the Charter Declaration, signatory airlines are sharing with IATA practical actions and initiatives that uphold Charter principles in their organizations.

Collaboration and safety information-sharing is critical for the industry to learn and improve. We invite you to share examples – action, projects and initiatives – of how Safety Leadership Charter Guiding Principles are helping your organization enhance its Safety Culture. 

IATA Safety Leadership Charter

The Safety Leadership Charter has been developed in consultation with IATA members, and the wider aviation community, to support industry executives in evolving a positive safety culture within their organizations.

The Charter is geared toward strengthening organizational safety culture through highlighting this critical element as a driver for continuous improvement in safety performance, by proposing commitment to key leadership principles and supporting practical actions. 

Intent

The IATA Safety Leadership Charter represents a commitment by industry leaders to the continuous evolution of safety culture within their organizations and by IATA to support this evolution worldwide.  It is founded on the principle that a positive safety culture supports open reporting and learning; it facilitates the effective management of safety risks and creates employee engagement based on trust. It acts as an essential enabler for a successful business and a thriving aviation industry.

Declaration

By signing the Charter, Executives pledge their commitment to continuously evolve safety culture at their airlines by:

  • Embedding Charter principles into their organization(s) through measurable, practical actions, and, to the extent possible, sharing with IATA and industry information on progress, including opportunities and challenges, to deliver these actions.
  • Inspiring attitudes and behaviors in teams at every level to deliver continuous improvement in safety performance and operational resilience.
  • Nurturing an environment of trust where people are willing to share safety-related information within the organization.
  • Growing collaboration with industry, government and other stakeholders that may assist the aviation industry in achieving safer operation and strengthening its safety DNA.

Guiding Principles

  1. Lead obligation to safety through words and actions.
  2. Foster safety awareness with employees, the leadership team, and the board.
  3. Guide the integration of safety into business strategies, processes, and performance measures.
  4. Create the internal capacity to proactively manage safety and collectively achieve organizational safety goals.
  5. Create an atmosphere of trust, where employees are encouraged and confident to report safety-related information.
  6. Establish a working environment in which clear expectations of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors are communicated and understood.
  7. Create an environment where all employees feel responsibility for safety.
  8. Regularly assess and improve organizational Safety Culture.

 

For more information about the IATA Safety Leadership Charter and how to get involved, please contact our team.

Safety Talks

The IATA Safety Talks feature industry leaders across geographies and cultures who share their unique perspectives and highlight the key role of Safety Leadership and Safety Culture in delivering a safer, more efficient and resilient business. 

The Safety Talks will continue to expand with more insights from industry executives and staff across hierarchies.

“Starting with me as a CEO, a conscious safety culture is rooted in a company's leadership, and from there it goes through the entire organisation. Safety Leadership is the foundation of safety culture, and leading by example is vital. At SAS, we encourage an open safety culture that creates a trusting working environment, allowing employees to feel comfortable reporting observations, and where employees feel secure and confident to share mistakes without fearing reprimands. ” 

Watch our latest video with Anko van der Werff, President and CEO, SAS, Member of IATA Board of Governors

Mark Searle
Global Director Safety, International Air Transport Association (IATA)

Shinichi Inoue
President and CEO, All Nippon Airways, Member of IATA Board of Governors

Detlef Kayser
Member of the Executive Board, Fleet and Technology, Deutsche Lufthansa 

Patrick Ky
Executive Director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)

Eamonn Brennan
Director General, Eurocontrol

Danny Ho
Chief Executive Vice President, EVA Airways 

Hassan Shahidi
President and CEO, Flight Safety Foundation

Yuji Akasaka
President and CEO, Japan Airlines, Member of IATA Board of Governors

Enrique Beltranena
CEO Volaris, Member of IATA Board of Governors

Anko van der Werff
President and CEO, SAS, Member of IATA Board of Governors

 Guliz Ozturk
CEO, Pegasus Airlines  

Ed Bastian
CEO, Delta Airlines

Campbell Wilson
CEO and Managing Director, Air India  

Zhu Tao
President and CEO, Hainan Airlines, Member of IATA Board of Governors    

Le Hong Ha
President and CEO, Vietnam Airlines

Jiri Marek
CEO, Air Serbia    

Xie Bing
CEO and President of Xiamen Airlines

Michel Rousseau
CEO and President of Air Canada, Member of IATA Board of Governors

Akbar Al Baker
GCEO, Qatar Airways, Member of IATA Board of Governors

Pedro Heilbron
CEO, Copa Airlines, Member of IATA Board of Governors

Captain Stanley K. Ng
President and COO, Philippine Airlines

Irfan Setiaputra
President and CEO, Garuda Indonesia

Gilles Feith
CEO, Luxair

Captain Izham Ismail

CEO, Malaysia Airlines Berhad Group, Member of IATA Board of Governors
Managing Director, Malaysia Aviation Group

Peter Foster
President and CEO, Air Astana

Safety Culture

We are convinced that a strong safety culture is a primary enabler of effective safety management. There is no point having all Safety Management System elements in place if they are not used.

Understanding and evolving organization’s Safety Culture is a prerequisite for successful and effective SMS. Consequently, to improve safety performance, it is necessary for all organizations to continuously improve their Safety Culture through a cycle of self-assessment, understanding and action.  A strong and positive safety culture provides the foundation for aviation organizations to continuously improve safety performance and proactively mitigate risks and identify hazards, for example through voluntary reporting.  A positive safety culture enhances vigilance and early mitigation of risks.

A culture change is an organizational change, it requires buy-in and continual application by all employees at every level, and especially commitment and leadership from top executives.  It is also a change that requires time to develop, but will foster long-term benefits.  

How can an organization support this change in a systematic manner?  Safety Culture surveys provide one of the best means to keep the finger on the pulse and monitor this evolution in a measurable and actionable manner, as organization’s safety culture continues to evolve. 

The "I-ASC" (IATA Aviation Safety Culture) survey, specifically designed for aviation, provides insight into the challenges and risk areas of front line and management employees, as well as areas of improvement and hazards in safety performance.