People are your greatest asset: A Virgin Atlantic case study

Purpose Fest on Tour, stop two: Virgin Atlantic.

I’m looking back on a brilliant and energising day at the Virgin Atlantic’s HQ and Crew Training Centre. Purpose Fest is the annual festival we launched last year, to celebrate our people all around the world, and fire up everyone’s motivation to keep changing business for good.

It was so inspiring and energising to meet our newest cabin crew members who, still in their training, already have so much Virgin magic. It was a brilliant reminder that your people are your greatest asset. Hiring people based on attitude and personality will always take you further.

The excellent crew trainers took us through an evacuation procedure, and I couldn’t resist going down the slide (baggy jumpsuit and all). After teaching the new recruits now to do Dad’s infamous plane pose (a right of passage!), it was time to talk purpose.  

Perhaps my favourite part of the day was meeting colleagues from across Virgin Atlantic’s five Belonging Networks: Pride (LGBTQ+), Disability Engagement Network, VALUED (Virgin Atlantic Loves Unity and Ethnic Diversity), Scarlet (women’s network) and Family First (parents and carers). We had an open and honest conversation where no one was afraid to ask the tough questions. If we want to challenge the status quo, we can’t be afraid to ask the hard questions - especially to senior leaders. It made me proud that Virgin Atlantic has built this kind of culture. It’s also case in point that it’s your people that carry your purpose forward. If they aren’t energised and brought into the why of everything you do, you’ll struggle to make an impact. Give your people purpose, and they become unstoppable.  

Kami White / VML

It was also brilliant to hear the role these networks play in shaping policy and contributing to big decisions. From driving the gender-neutral uniforms, launching the new Free to Be Me initiative, hosting Pride flights, building a leadership team that is 47% women, sponsoring the Attitude Awards, and conversations about giving people with criminal records a second chance - these groups aren’t a box-ticking exercise. They’re ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) remain at the very heart of everything Virgin Atlantic does.  

Gareth Neale / Virgin Atlantic

It’s no longer good enough for businesses to talk the talk unless they walk the walk. What I love about Virgin Atlantic is the tangible impact of their purpose work - driven by a team who feel empowered to keep challenging the status quo. Here’s just a snapshot of the most recent projects they’ve delivered: 

• Accessibility firsts: Virgin Atlantic was the first airline to offer British Sign Language-trained crew, making air travel more inclusive for the deaf community. 

• Sustainability: From pioneering Sustainable Aviation Fuel, to investing billions to fly the youngest fleet across the Atlantic, and reducing its single-use plastic by 90% - the airline is constantly working to be greener.  

• LGBTQ+ destination guides: The airline now offers LGBTQ+ holiday guides and is launching relevant training for their retail teams.  

Virgin Atlantic

• Passport to Change – Virgin Atlantic works with schools in Crawley, Swansea, and Atlanta to open doors for children from all backgrounds. In 2024, more than 1,000 young people took part in the programme, supported by 191 incredible colleagues who volunteered more than 1,500 hours of their time. The airline is also trying to get every school in the UK to shows its Women in STEM video, so children can see what’s possible. 

• Tackling gender imbalance in the industry: Unfortunately, gender inequality persists in aviation, but Virgin Atlantic are tackling the issue by leading from the front. 47% of people in leadership roles are women, and they are striving to get to 50%. They also realised that to encourage more young girls to pursue a career in aviation, they need to reach the parents. And so, the airline now actively reaches out to the parents of young girls, to show them the incredible benefits of working in the industry.

Kami White / VML

• Dementia-friendly films: In partnership with the Women Over 50 Film Festival, the airline now offers a curated selection of dementia-friendly short films onboard, watched more than 60,000 times since launch.

• Humanitarian efforts: Whether delivering aid after natural disasters or running special rescue flights, the airline continues to use its people and planes for good.

This is just a tiny snapshot the work being done day in and day out to change the industry for the better. Purpose at Virgin Atlantic is not separate from the business, it is the business. And this is exactly what gives me hope for the future: colleagues who are not afraid to challenge, who keep pushing for change, and who are driven by the belief that everyone can take on the world.