AIA, international partners meet to initiate ethics roundtable

Citation

(2006), "AIA, international partners meet to initiate ethics roundtable", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 78 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2006.12778fab.043

AIA, international partners meet to initiate ethics roundtable

AIA, international partners meet to initiate ethics roundtable

Keywords: Business ethics,Aerospace industry

The Aerospace Industries Association of America and four international partners in the International Co- ordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations – Brazil, Canada, Europe, and Japan – announced plans today to establish a new initiative of regular consultations on aerospace business ethics at a meeting at the recent Farnborough International Airshow.

Representatives of aerospace industry groups from those nations and Europe agreed to an ongoing business roundtable forum to establish and co- ordinate efforts to promote international ethics principles, standards, and practices. The AIA of America proposed the idea at the Paris Air Show last year, citing the benefits of participation in the Defense Industry Initiative on Business Ethics and Conduct, a successful US business ethics program.

These efforts are expected to lead to an international ethics code of conduct that will set standards of global ethical behaviour, AIA of America President and CEO John Douglass said.

Douglass added that the move will head off ethics problems before they start, create a level competitive playing field world-wide and establish a positive climate for the workforce.

“The aerospace industry is very important to all of us for security as well as economic reasons” Douglass said. “Good business ethics is good business for our companies and their customers. As our industry becomes increasingly global, it makes sense for international partners and competitors to share best practices on this issue.”

The agreement came after two important developments. The AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe announced the formation of an Ethics and Anti- Corruption Working Group and endorsed the AIA proposal for consultations. In addition the Society of British Aerospace Companies and the Defence Manufacturers Association in the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on their organisations' commitment to promote best practices against corruption.

The other partners in the new roundtable are the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies, Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, the Aerospace Industries Association of Brazil, and the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe.