Matthews said that a strong and visible commitment to safety by top management makes good business sense. The consequences of failing to focus on the assurance of efficient and safe practices in the organization are costly. Despite these consequences, many airlines worldwide have not established aggressive risk-management programs.
Senior management is responsible for organizing a coherent and effective safety culture.
The safety culture should be instilled throughout the company, and risk-management programs should include ground operations as well as flight operations. Matthews said that risk cannot be eliminated, but risk can be controlled through programs to identify and correct safety deficiencies before an accident occurs. Management attention to ensuring a high level of safety benefits profitability. Flight Safety Foundation is an international membership organization dedicated to the continuous improvement of aviation safety. Nonprofit and independent, the Foundation was launched officially in 1947 in response to the aviation industry's need for a neutral clearinghouse to disseminate objective safety information, and for a credible and knowledgeable body that would identify threats to safety, analyze the problems and recommend practical solutions to them.