ASQ Recruits Leading Experts to Create First ISO Social Responsibility Standard

Milwaukee , WI . February 13, 2006 – In response to recent and ongoing corporate scandals, environmental disasters, child labor violations, and dangerous work environments, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has launched the development of its first standard on social responsibility (SR). The American Society for Quality (ASQ) is seeking participants to help develop the U.S. position on the draft standard.

ASQ is inviting experts from a variety of industries to join a new team – the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Social Responsibility. This panel of experts will serve as the U.S. contingent in developing an international standard that will guide organizations throughout the world in addressing their SR obligations. ASQ was selected by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the official United States member of ISO, to create and administer the TAG.

“There could not be a more timely opportunity for organizations to join together and make their voices heard about the issue of social responsibility,” said Jerry Mairani, President of the American Society for Quality. “With no standard currently in place, this panel will be instrumental in molding a historic document. It’s clear that t he choices we make today to ensure a more ethical work and living environment will certainly have a major impact tomorrow.”

To ensure a balanced, diverse pool of experience, ASQ seeks members from the following categories:

Industry
Government
Non- G overnmental Organizations
Consumer
Labor
Services, Support, Research and Others

Participation in the U.S. TAG will involve a limited number of meetings throughout the year as well as reviewing of proposals and working documents , and responding to information or voting requests via e-mail.

One of the first members of the U.S. TAG was the Council of Better Business Bureaus (BBB) which was cited by the original advisory group to ISO recommending this project as the earliest example of social responsibility. The BBB mission is to promote trust in the marketplace, a core component of social responsibility.

"Building trust is the core of our mission. Given that, the Council of Better Business Bureaus is pleased to support ANSI and ASQ in their efforts to advance greater transparency, integrity and accountability across the spectrum of business organizations in the U.S. ," said Steve Cole, President & CEO, Council of Better Business Bureaus.

The Standard (also known as ISO 26000) is targeted for publication during the fourth quarter of 2008 and will provide guiding principles on social responsibility for all types of organizations. It will not be a management system standard and is not meant for certification purposes. It will, however, provide direction for those companies that recognize the strong connection between results and responsibility.

If you are interested in shaping the U.S. position of the standard or would like more information, please contact ASQ’s Standards Team at standards@asq.org or visit our website www.asq.org/social-responsibility.

The American Society for Quality is the world's leading authority on quality. With more than 90,000 individual and organizational members, the professional association advances learning, quality improvement, and knowledge exchange to improve business results, and to create better workplaces and communities worldwide. As champion of the quality movement, ASQ offers technologies, concepts, tools, and training to quality professionals, quality practitioners, and everyday consumers, encouraging all to Make Good Great®. ASQ has been the sole administrator of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award since 1991. Headquartered in Milwaukee , Wis. , the 60-year-old organization is a founding partner of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a prominent quarterly economic indicator, and also produces the Quarterly Quality Report.

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