Our Advisory Group held its first-ever meeting on July 20, 2022. It was an honor to welcome this group of volunteers to this new leadership role, and we appreciate how dedicated they are to advancing the Society, representing our members and member communities, and elevating our great profession. 

The creation of this group is a key outcome of our historic governance change approved by delegates earlier this year. It signals a shift in our approach to strategic planning; highlights our focus on providing members with more opportunities to share input and inform the Board of Directors’ decision-making; and supports our efforts to engage more members and create a more inclusive organization.

Throughout our meetings with members prior to the governance vote and since then, we have received questions about the Advisory Group, so I would like to review some key details as the group moves forward with its operations and work plan. Be sure to visit and bookmark the Advisory Group web page.

Member Representation

One common question relates to the composition of the Advisory Group, which currently consists of more than 330 members. Four key member constituencies are represented:

• Chapters: Each chapter has representation based on the size of its membership as defined in our bylaws (https://assp.us/bylawsA-14).
• Common interest groups and practice specialties: The leaders elected to serve as administrators and assistant administrators of these member communities are members of the Advisory Group.
• Elected Society leaders: Members elected to the offices of council vice president, region vice president and area director also belong to the Advisory Group.
• At-Large members: Members in good standing can comprise up to one-quarter of the Advisory Group. In the at-large role, these members represent the interests of our general membership and OSH professionals overall.

You can view a demographic breakdown that reflects these categories and several others at https://assp.us/AG
-Demo-2022.

Advisory Group Work Plan

As part of the governance change, we developed an initial Society Operating Guideline (SOG) and work plan for the Advisory Group. A key step in this work plan is selecting members to serve on the Operations Committee. This committee will coordinate and facilitate meetings, track outcomes and report regularly to members, including the Board of Directors, on key performance indicators. Advisory Group members have considered two options that align with our bylaws and committee selection SOGs to move this process forward, and we expect to have this committee in place by early November.

Membership value will be a key focus of the Advisory Group during its inaugural year. We are conducting research to capture input on key challenges and opportunities related to membership, and Advisory Group members will inform board decisions in this area through surveys, interviews and town halls. Be sure to share your thoughts and ideas on this topic with your Advisory Group representatives.

The Advisory Group will also play an essential role in our strategic planning. We have two upcoming meetings with the group on this issue:

• Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 11:30 a.m. CDT
• Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. CST 

We have posted a video of the Advisory Group’s first meeting as well as a document addressing questions participants asked and an attendee evaluation on the Advisory Group web page. I encourage you to visit this page to build your understanding of the group, its role and expectations, and to stay up to date on its activities. I also recommend that you connect with the representatives of your member communities, and please always feel free to send questions and feedback to governance@assp.org.

As we work together and find new ways to collaborate, I am confident we are creating a safer future for our employees, and a stronger future for our organizations, our Society and our profession.