Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), NBAA core values, are a key focus in the revised NBAA Management Guide, with a new appendix dedicated solely to the subject.
The appendix defines DEI concepts, describes benefits of DEI in business aviation and provides methods for promoting DEI in an organization in easily understandable language.
“Including DEI in the NBAA Management Guide is a signal of the permanency of this topic,” said Jennifer Pickerel, vice president of Aviation Personnel International and chair of NBAA’s DEI Working Group. “It is fundamental to our survival as an industry. If we do not figure out how to recruit and fully include all people and perspectives in this industry, we will fail to thrive and grow.”
Benefits of diversity, equity and inclusion include increasing physical and psychological safety, as well as increasing levels of productivity, profitability and innovation. In today’s global workforce, a recruiting strategy dedicated to DEI principles can help expand the circle of potential employees.
The appendix also outlines real-life tips for creating equity, reducing bias in the hiring process and managing a diverse workforce, including caregiver employees.
For example, drafting gender-neutral job descriptions and developing a standardized hiring process, including job-based interview templates that are measurable and uniform, can help reduce bias. Open communication, coaching and mentoring programs are useful tools in managing a diverse workforce, while caregivers can benefit from scheduling transparency and flexibility.
The appendix was drafted by NBAA’s DEI working group, a subgroup of the Business Aviation Management Committee, in support of the NBAA’s DEI statement, “Inclusion Fuels Our Future,” which says:
From the dawn of our modern era, aviation has thrived through a collaborative spirit. NBAA is committed to fostering an inclusive culture throughout the business aviation community that reflects this core value.
“We wanted to ensure familiarity with DEI principles are wide-spread and even required for business aviation managers and future leaders,” said Jo Damato, CAM, NBAA’s senior vice president, education, training and workforce development, who explained that content in the NBAA Management Guide is subject to testing through the CAM accreditation process.
The NBAA Management Guide is the penultimate reference document for flight department managers and other business aviation professionals and is a primary source of study for Certified Aviation Manager accreditation.