Boeing’s CEO will testify before the Senate on Wednesday. He will admit the company made “serious missteps in recent years” and pledge to rebuild trust among consumers and investors.

CEO’s Message to Employees

Before the hearing, Kelly Ortberg sent a message to Boeing’s 160,000 employees. He emphasized that his testimony is crucial “to restore trust” in the company. In his prepared remarks, he states, “Boeing has made serious missteps in recent years – and it is unacceptable.”

Ongoing Quality Issues

For years, Boeing has struggled with . Most recently, in January last year, an Alaska Airlines 737 experienced a critical failure when a door plug detached mid-flight. Furthermore, the company reported a $3.9 billion loss that same month. A prolonged seven-week labor strike also halted production at two major assembly plants.

Boeing’s Restructuring Efforts

Since taking over as CEO in August, Ortberg has led significant restructuring. He will highlight the company’s efforts by stating, “We have made sweeping changes to the people, processes, and overall structure of our company.” However, he will also acknowledge that a full recovery will require “time and action.”

Acknowledging Past Tragedies

Ortberg will address the tragic 737 MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019, which resulted in 346 deaths. Notably, some victims’ families will attend the Senate hearing. He will pledge, “to make the necessary changes so this never happens again.”

New Safety Measures

Boeing has admitted that its MCAS stall protection software played a role in the fatal crashes. Consequently, Ortberg will introduce a new Safety Management System (SMS). This framework follows industry best practices to identify and manage safety risks across Boeing’s commercial and defense products.