ASQ to Launch National Social Responsibility Initiative

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) will host “Sustaining the Future: A Social Responsibility Event” on Earth Day, April 22, 2009, at Discovery World in Milwaukee. This is part of its growing effort to assume a leadership role locally and internationally in the social responsibility (SR) movement.

The Earth Day event will illustrate how aligning quality and social responsibility helps to achieve triple bottom line results—economic, ecological, and social. The event also aims to highlight and energize leading-edge SR practices by local and national organizations.

ASQ President Roberto Saco and Executive Director Paul Borawski will open the event and discuss the importance of mobilizing a national SR campaign that starts locally in Milwaukee with a vision to expand nationally. They will encourage attendees to understand how forward-thinking organizations align social responsibility and quality principles to maintain a competitive advantage.

“The quality profession is becoming deeply involved in conversations around sustainability and responsibility—quality at the level of entire social systems and the big issues of the day,” said Saco. “This SR initiative moves us from conversation to constructive action alongside other leaders in the Milwaukee community. And we are confident that this event will serve as a catalyst for other local events around the country where ASQ communities can assume a leading role.”

Northwestern Mutual Foundation is the exclusive Executive Sponsor of the event. Growth Sponsors include Johnson Controls and Marquette University.

ASQ’s commitment to these activities stems from the natural fit of quality and social responsibility. Social responsibility is becoming increasingly critical as decision makers examine the future impact of today’s choices on the environment, community, business ethics, and customer perceptions. Quality is central in helping organizations and individuals grow in socially responsible ways. As this happens, new career paths and new opportunities open up for seasoned quality practitioners. Some of ASQ’s fastest growing divisions are those with an affinity for SR thinking and action—Lean Enterprise, Energy & Environmental, and Design & Construction.

Chad Vincent, the ASQ Lean Enterprise Division’s spokesperson on SR, thinks of SR, like lean, as a conscious choice. “By choosing to look beyond just the environmental benefit and applying the lean philosophy to all processes related to SR,” he says, “companies truly become socially responsible organizations. They not only produce better results with their resources, they also give back to society.”

World Renowned Photographer to Keynote

The keynote speaker for the event is noted photographer and environmentalist Chris Jordan. Jordan will punctuate his remarks with stunning photographs from his work. His images shed light on the societal and environmental implications of daily life in a consumerist, throw-away society.

Another event highlight is the release of a new report titled “The Path to Social Responsibility,” a monograph showcasing activities of socially responsible organizations. It focuses on organizations, including Northwestern Mutual, Johnson Controls, Manpower, MillerCoors, Goodwill Industries, Intel, and others.

Metro Milwaukee Green Initiative Announcement

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett will present a report on local activities and initiatives that are positioning Milwaukee as a center for progress in social responsibility. Barrett will provide the first comprehensive update on the Metro Milwaukee Green (MMG) initiative, which was launched on January 9 by the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce, and ASQ.

MMG challenges local organizations to commit to becoming more sustainable organizations. It has selected five program areas in which organizations can demonstrate their commitment. These five steps toward sustainability include:

1. Robust Recycling Program
2. Energy Management
3. Systematic and Comprehensive Green Cleaning
4. Sustainable Business Network
5. Great Lakes Water Initiatives

Next Steps

Next steps for the ASQ initiative include:

• Establish an International Social Responsibility Think Tank that will bring together some of the world’s leading experts later in 2009.
• Hold a conference in Milwaukee in 2010 featuring executive roundtables and workshops to celebrate the release of the new ISO 26000 Guidance on Social Responsibility Voluntary Standard.