06 July 2026
Back to basics: Accountabilities and responsibilities
As the broker representing approximately 50% of the world’s airlines, Gallagher’s SOAR practice is uniquely positioned to identify industry safety trends that may not necessarily align with those highlighted in published industry initiatives. Lately, we have had numerous clients – small, medium and large – telling us that current management may not truly understand Accountabilities, Responsibilities and Authorities and the impact on their positions within the organisation.
In our Back to Basics series, we highlight areas in which organisations may need a refresher. This article will remind operators of the means in which organisations must manage Accountabilities, Responsibilities and Authorities, starting with the Accountable Executive. According to ICAO Doc 9859 edition 4,
‘The accountable executive is the person who has ultimate authority over the safe operation of the organisation. The accountable executive establishes and promotes the safety policy and safety objectives that instil safety as a core organisational value. They should: have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the organisation, have control of resources, both financial and human, be responsible for ensuring appropriate actions are taken to address safety issues and safety risks, and they should be responsible for responding to accidents and incidents.’
The term ‘accountability’ refers to obligations which cannot be delegated. The term ‘responsibilities’ refers to functions and activities which may be delegated.
All assignments of safety responsibility and authority in an operation stem from this position. In respect of safety management, accountability for the system cannot be delegated, but day-to-day responsibility can, and usually is, delegated to a certain level of management and safety personnel. Examples that may not be delegated include:
- Ensuring safety policies are appropriate and communicated,
- Ensuring necessary allocation of resources (financing, personnel, training, acquisition); and
- Setting of the acceptable safety risk limits and resourcing of necessary controls.
Definitions
- Safety responsibility: the obligation to carry forward an assigned safety-related task to its successful conclusion. With responsibility comes authority to direct and take the necessary action to ensure success.
- Safety accountability: the obligation to demonstrate task achievement and take responsibility for the safety performance in accordance with agreed expectations. Accountability is the obligation to answer for an action.
Can you have one without the other?
Organisational management depends on the connection and integration of accountabilities, responsibilities, and authorities. Effective management requires balancing them.
- Authority is the power to make decisions. This always flows downward, allowing a person to make decisions and give orders to fulfil tasks.
- Responsibility is the duty or obligation to act and can be shared or delegated to subordinates.
- Accountability is the final answerability for outcomes; it cannot be delegated and always flows upwards. The primary owner will always remain accountable for operational failures.
If a position is given responsibility without having the authority to accomplish the task, it will lead to an inability to complete the tasks, frustration, and potential minimisation within the role, as personnel will find workarounds or just stop trying.
For example
A Quality Manager, reporting to the Quality Director, has been hired to manage the Quality Assurance Program of Ground Operations. In setting the initial schedule for the year, the Ground Operations Director refuses to allow any audits to be scheduled as ‘they are not ready yet.’ The Quality Director supports this decision. Now, the Quality Manager who has the responsibility to implement the QAP within Ground Operations cannot complete their responsibilities as the authority to do so has been taken away. Further, the Quality Director will now not complete their responsibilities and can be held accountable for this. This will lead back to the Accountable Executive who has the ultimate accountability for safety in the organisation.
Clearly Define Accountabilities and Responsibilities
All personnel, management and staff involved in safety-related duties that support the delivery of safe products and operations should have clearly defined accountabilities and responsibilities.
Safety responsibilities will focus on the contribution to the safety performance of the organisation.
- Accountabilities, responsibilities, and authorities included in the SMS documentation.
- Communicated throughout the organisation.
- Reflected in organisational charts, documents defining departmental responsibilities, and personnel job or role descriptions.
The management of safety is a core function; as such, every senior manager has a degree of involvement in the operation of the SMS.
How is responsibility assigned?
Use a responsibility matrix. The Safety Management System (SMS) of an organisation defines what must be accomplished, and a responsibility matrix defines who accomplishes it. Each organisation is different, and there are several variations of a Responsibility Matrix, but the most commonly used is RACI.
The RACI model (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) is widely utilised, but its effectiveness depends on how it is implemented and adapted to organisational needs.
RACI provides a structured approach to defining roles and responsibilities, which helps in avoiding confusion, improving communication, and ensuring accountability.
An enhanced version of RACI, RACI-VS, adds two further roles: Verifier (ensures the task is completed correctly) and Signatory (approves the completed task). The complexity of your organisation will allow you to determine which model will work best for you, or you can create a model designed specifically for your organisation.
Application of a responsibility matrix in conjunction with your SMS should ensure that:
- Safety reports have an assigned responsible party for feedback.
- Regulatory compliance is simplified because roles are pre-defined for audits.
- Decision-making speed should increase during safety-critical events.
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