Strategic Leadership and Social Sustainability in Global Aviation: A Discourse Analysis of Airline CEOs

This study aims to examine the discourse of CEOs from the world’s five largest airline companies regarding social sustainability, through the lens of strategic leadership. The aviation industry is characterized by high levels of human interaction, cultural diversity, and intensive service expectations, making it a critical field for the integration of social sustainability into corporate strategy. The study employed discourse analysis using the MAXQDA 2020 qualitative data analysis software to examine CEO statements in online environments, identifying themes and subthemes that reflect strategic leadership in the context of social sustainability. The findings reveal that CEOs prioritize social sustainability principles such as equity, inclusion, employee well-being, and corporate citizenship in their leadership approaches. Furthermore, strategic leadership practices were found to play a pivotal role in enhancing social trust, ensuring ethical integrity, and generating long-term social value. The study contributes to understanding leadership practices that support social sustainability within the aviation industry and offers a strategic framework for organizational legitimacy and competitive advantage.