Safran supports key aerospace events in Seattle

Safran sponsored the French Aerospace Business Reception, which was co-organized by the French-American Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest (FACC-PNW) and Business France on April 11. The reception was attended by distinguished guests, including Washington State Governor Jay Inslee; Consul General of France in San Francisco Frederic Jung; Jean-Marc Fron, Managing Director for Boeing France; and Janene Collins, VP of Contracts for Boeing Commercial; as well as key aerospace business leaders and representatives from Seattle and French sister city, Nantes.

On April 14, the FACC-PNW organized the Seattle European-American Air Forum (SEAAF) – a gathering designed to address current and future challenges facing the aviation industry. This year’s SEAAF program included panels on the following themes: 2030 Supplier’s Profile; OEM Discussion (Boeing and Airbus); Climate & Sustainability; Workforce & Human Resources Attractiveness; and Reshaping International Trade.

Safran was represented on two panels by Jean-Michel Hillion, Group Senior Vice President, Strategy at Safran (Climate & Sustainability), and Christine Hadley, Corporate Social Responsibility Director at Safran Cabin (Workforce & Human Resources Attractiveness).

For the Climate & Sustainability panel – moderated by Francois Guerzeder, the Senior Vice President of Boeing Programs at Safran – Jean-Michel Hillion was joined by Diana Birkett Rakow from Alaska Airlines and Brian Yutko from Boeing to discuss 2050 carbon neutral commitments and sustainable aviation initiatives across the industry. Hillion highlighted Safran’s commitment to sustainability, through development of more fuel efficient engines; supporting the deployment of sustainable fuels; reducing emissions from operations; and developing solutions to enable more efficient fleet management and aircraft routing to minimize fuel consumption.

The Workforce & Human Resources Attractiveness panel saw Christine Hadley address how the aerospace industry is competing with other high-tech industries to attract young talents. She was joined by experts from Patriot Industrial Partners, Everett Community College’s Center of Excellence for Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing, and Washington State Department of Commerce. Hadley outlined Safran’s human resources policies around building and communicating a strong company culture – stressing the importance of social good and providing examples of Safran’s commitment to being an exemplary employer, protecting the environment, and giving back to local communities.

During the panel, Hadley also noted multiple practices within Safran – including employee surveys, focus groups, training, brand ambassadors, volunteerism, career mobility, and mentorship – as ways the company strives to foster engagement and attract talent.

As a major U.S. hub for Safran, the State of Washington is home to four of its subsidiaries: Safran Cabin; Safran Electrical & Power; Safran Electronics & Defense; and Safran Landing Systems. Key Safran activities in the state include engineering, cabin interiors, lighting solutions, ventilation systems, and water and waste systems.