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We are Honest Brokers

Pamela Walaski, CSP, FASSP, 2024-25 ASSP President and ASSP Foundation Chair
Oct 01, 2024

Pam WalaskiThroughout our history, ASSP has purposefully worked to maintain the organization’s position of an “honest broker,” meaning that the Society brings valuable guidance and advice to both sides of the aisle without being politically motivated.

We have built and preserved this position since our formation in 1911. We know it holds significant value for the stakeholders who depend on our Society and our members to provide evidence-based recommendations and trusted guidance that advances occupational safety and health for all workers. We are the experts in workplace safety and health, so we are the people who best know the courses of action organizations should take to protect workers in all settings.

Protecting worker safety, health and overall well-being requires a commitment that is never defined by politics.This is particularly essential during an election year like 2024 when tensions are elevated and divisions can quickly grow across the nation. After all, we naturally gravitate toward candidates who share our beliefs and address issues that impact our families.

That is why we must consistently work to uphold ASSP’s reputation as an honest broker. Thank you for remembering our organization’s role as we move through this election season. The U.S. presidential election has engaged tens of millions of Americans in a powerful way. Nearly everyone has an opinion about it.

We have been a leading advocate for worker safety and health principles for more than 100 years, regardless of political debate and changing administrations. We are the go-to source for trusted and equitable solutions that protect all workers in all industries. Our ultimate goal is that every worker return home safe and healthy to their loved ones at the end of each workday.

Of course, we all are human. We each have beliefs and feelings to manage in various settings in life. We are all often deeply impacted by local and national developments, especially during an election season. It is part of what makes us a special group of passionate professionals who can meaningfully connect with and relate to our peers, teams and leaders.

As the guardians of workplace safety across various domains—people, property and the environment—our responsibilities range from ensuring the well-being of individual workers to safeguarding our surroundings. As honest brokers, we must always strive to uphold our commitment to ethical practice and focus on protecting all workers in all settings every day.

As work practices evolve and technologies advance, new challenges arise in ensuring worker safety. ASSP continues to strengthen its reputation as a trusted advisor to OSHA, NIOSH and other entities because our guidance is based on evidence and grounded in industry best practices as defined in voluntary consensus standards.

This also provides us an opportunity to demonstrate the Society’s CLEAR values:

  • Community: When we help create a sense of community in our workplaces, we ensure that everyone, regardless of background or identity, feels included and valued. 
  • Leadership: When we lead with integrity, we foster a sense of shared purpose to safeguard all workers. 
  • Excellence: When we focus on excellence, we foster a culture of awareness, preparedness and prevention that engages everyone in building toward a safer, stronger future. 
  • Accountability: When we uphold our ethics and act reliably, we build accountability and create trust. 
  • Respect: And finally, when we act with humility and actively listen to others’ perspectives, we create an atmosphere of mutual respect that is vital to continuous improvement and advancement. I truly appreciate your efforts and dedication to worker safety every day. We have demanding jobs that deliver tremendous rewards. Our members are on the front lines to make it all happen.

Thank you for supporting our Society’s vision that safety, health and well-being are inherent rights of every worker. Rain or shine, election year or not, we must be there every day to make sure worker safety is the focus above all else.

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