Ethics in the aviation industry: Insights from the 2nd annual Business Ethics Conference | McGill Desautels Faculty of Management

On Friday, November 15, the Laidley Centre for Business Ethics and Equity (LCBEE) hosted its second annual Business Ethics Conference at the McGill Faculty Club, centred on the theme “Ethics in the Aviation Industry.” The event brought together over 80 participants, including students, faculty, alumni and industry professionals for a day of discussions, panels and networking. Focused on accessibility, profit, sustainability, and social responsibility as it relates to ethics and equity, the conference sparked engaging conversations and meaningful insights into the ethical complexities of the aviation industry. The conference unfolded in three panels, each offering a deep dive into critical ethical issues shaping the industry.

Ethics, employment equity, and accessibility

The first panel, moderated by Professor Paola Perez-Aleman, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Strategy Studies in Organizations, brought to light the industry’s challenges in addressing human rights and accessibility. Gábor Lukács, Director of Air Passenger Rights, underscored the need for more regulations to protect passengers with disabilities, a sentiment echoed by Sandra Gualtieri of Able Fly, who spoke on her advocacy work. In contrast, Vincent Correia, Co-Director of the Institute of Air and Space Law at McGill, cautioned against broad critiques of industry stakeholders and emphasized the need for nuanced, balanced regulatory approaches. This panel provided a setting for constructive dialogue, with other panelists, Professor HeeJung Jung, McGill Desautels’ Director of EDI, and aviation management expert, John Gradek, of the McGill School of Continuing Studies. Lukács noted “It’s only in an academic setting like this where we can have these kinds of conversations.”

Sustainability

In the second panel, the discussion shifted to sustainability where panelists tackled the aviation industry’s environmental impact, moderated by Professor Sanjith Gopalakrishnan, Director of the McGill Sustainable Growth Initiative (SGI). Nathalie Herbelles of Airports Council International highlighted continued efforts to implement greener practices across the industry, while Pascal Hubert, Associate Director (Academic) of the McGill Institute for Aerospace Engineering and the Werner Graupe Chair on Sustainable Composites Manufacturing, presented innovative ways to repurpose airplane materials. Adding to the conversation, Valerie Myers from CAE outlined actionable strategies for developing green supply chains.

Profit and social responsibility in aviation manufacturing, operations, and maintenance

The closing panel, moderated by Sebastien Betermier, Associate Professor of Finance at McGill Desautels and Executive Director of the International Centre for Pension Management, explored the balance between profitability and ethical responsibility. Charles “Duff” Sullivan former Managing Director and President of Boeing Canada and C. Scott McElvaine of Pratt & Whitney Canada drew on lessons learned from past challenges, such as the Boeing 737 MAX incidents, emphasizing the important role of collaboration in rebuilding trust and prioritizing safety within the industry. McElvaine emphasized the need for an evolution in safety practices, stating, “If you don’t have safety, you won’t make any money.” Along with the other panelists, Angela Gittens, former Director General of the Airports Council International, underscored the need for better coordination between airport staff, businesses, regulators, manufacturers, customers, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment on ethical practices and regulatory standards.

Beyond the panels, the conference offered a rare opportunity for constituents across the industry to engage in candid conversations. Participants included representatives from Air Canada, Pratt & Whitney Canada, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and startups like Aéroport AI. Alumnus and benefactor of the Centre, David Laidley (BCom’67) was also present, underscoring his commitment to fostering ethical leadership.

As the day concluded, LCBEE Director, Lindsay Holmgren, reflected on the conference’s purpose stating, “The primary goal here is learning—to have these positive but difficult conversations.” The conference reaffirmed the importance of collaboration in tackling the aviation industry’s most pressing ethical challenges. Participants left with a renewed sense of purpose and actionable ideas to implement in their respective fields. With its focus on fostering dialogue, sparking innovation, and bridging divides, the second annual Business Ethics Conference showcased the power of academic settings to drive meaningful change—one candid conversation at a time.

Looking ahead, the LCBEE plans to build on this momentum with upcoming events, including Ethics Research I’m Excited About in January, Black Women’s Entrepreneurship: Research vs Reality in February and a case competition in March. Recordings of the conference proceedings are available on Youtube, and those interested in staying informed can join the LCBEE mailing list or follow the Centre on LinkedIn.

Laidley Centre for Business Ethics and Equity (LCBEE)

The centre is McGill University’s central hub supporting ethical decision-making in business through teaching, academic research and community engagement. The Centre aims to foster multi-disciplinary research in business, law, public policy, economics, engineering, religion and psychology.