
Directing a safety culture transformation in a complex multi-stakeholder airport environment
Took full ownership of a comprehensive safety culture and Safety Management System (SMS) assessment at Aviator Finland. Directed the entire engagement — from establishing the operational baseline and benchmarking against a prior international audit, through systematic field observation and multi-level interviews, to delivering a prioritised set of strategic recommendations to senior leadership. The scope went well beyond compliance: the objective was to identify systemic root causes behind recurring safety gaps and shift the organisation from reactive incident handling towards proactive, resilience-based safety leadership.
What we did
- Document analysis: prior audits (incl. Baines Simmons), internal procedures, KPIs, and SMS structure review
- Multi-level interviews across leadership, supervisors, and frontline operations — focused on work-as-done, not work-as-imagined
- Extended field observation over multiple days in live operations, with findings validated through structured dialogue
- Cross-referencing findings to build a systemic picture — connecting strategy, culture, risk management, and trust
- Designed and delivered shift supervisor training to strengthen frontline safety leadership
- Led safety organisation capability development — clarifying roles, routines, and accountability
- Provided individual coaching for operational leaders on safety decision-making and follow-through
Impact
Delivered a clear strategic roadmap with assigned owners and follow-up cadence. Key outcomes included: risk management was systematised with a structured PDCA cycle, feedback mechanisms were established for safety reporting, safety and HR data were connected to support better leadership decisions, and a Just Culture framework was introduced. The organisation moved from fragmented, compliance-driven safety work towards integrated, proactive safety leadership — with measurable improvements in reporting openness, leadership engagement, and systemic thinking.


