Piedmont Airlines: Building a Culture of Safety

In the fast-paced world of aviation, safety is not just a goal – it’s the foundation of a successful operation. At Piedmont Airlines, safety is prioritized by empowering every employee to actively participate in fostering a proactive safety culture.

Safety is everyone’s responsibility, regardless of their role. Piedmont utilizes a data-driven, proactive approach to integrate safety into the core of the airline.

“A good safety culture thrives when everyone feels empowered to identify and report hazards,” says Julie Schell, Piedmont’s Vice President of Safety. “It’s about recognizing that every team member, from the CEO to a ramp agent, plays a vital role in ensuring the highest level of safety and security.”

Communication is key to a good safety culture. Having open dialogue from all levels of the company sets the common goal – to have the safest, most secure and reliable aviation system. And to achieve that, everyone has a part to play.

“We constantly analyze data to identify areas for enhancement and refine our processes,” says Candace Degroat, who oversees safety programs for the Inflight, Flight, Maintenance and Dispatch departments.

As a former Piedmont Flight Attendant, Candace has experienced the company’s safety culture through a variety of lenses. She understands firsthand the challenges team members face when it comes to safety and questions they may have.

“I think our safety culture is awesome,” she says. “It’s been amazing to see the whole airline work together. With all the programs that I work with and in every department, everybody is willing to help.”

As the airline industry grows and evolves, safety collaboration is key. “A change can start with a ramp agent identifying a hazard and that can boil all the way up to changes in the industry,” says Julie. “That’s why safety reporting and communication is so critical.”

This philosophy is embedded within Piedmont’s Safety Management System (SMS), an ever-evolving framework that integrates safety into the core of an organization and at the heart of every decision.

“SMS has broken down silos in the airline,” notes Joe Battisti, Senior Manager of Flight and Maintenance Safety at Piedmont. “It fosters communication across departments, ensuring that every decision considers safety implications for the entire organization.”

At Piedmont, safety isn’t just a priority, it’s a core value. By fostering a culture of open communication, continuous improvement, and collaborative action, Piedmont is building a safer future for passengers, team members, and the entire aviation industry.

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