During our Board of Directors meetings the past few years, two key themes have been prevalent: trust and transparency. This has taken on even greater importance during the prolonged pandemic as many of our interactions could only happen virtually.

Trust and transparency were critical in our governance discussions with members and leaders throughout 2021, and our commitment to them was crucial in achieving a successful governance vote. They remain crucial to our work to enact the changes brought about by that vote. We hosted the inaugural meeting of the new Advisory Group in late July. It was exciting to see and hear the enthusiasm and energy of members coming together to support our efforts to continuously improve the Society.

This activity aligns well with the board’s top priority this year of engaging members to discuss the changing nature of work and how these changes impact you as a safety professional, as well as your companies and employees. This effort will inform our next strategic plan.

Setting member engagement as a top board priority builds on our overall goal to find more opportunities to increase our connections with our volunteer leaders and members. In recent years, we have taken several steps in this direction that I would like to highlight:

1. We strive to ensure board representation at all regional operating committee meetings, which bring together chapter leaders within each region. At these meetings, we share updates on ASSP’s progress toward its strategic goals, answer questions about financial results, and explain program developments or changes. Through this outreach, we aim to help create a shared vision of ASSP’s future across the entire Society while also reinforcing our culture of trust. We want our chapter and region leaders to know we are here to provide guidance, listen and understand their challenges.

2. We hold regular Congress of Councils meetings that bring together our council vice presidents. These meetings focus on what is happening across each council to facilitate collaboration and to ensure that each council’s work is aligned with the Society’s strategic and operational goals. 

3. We are relaunching our virtual Board Connection Series this month and plan to host several more sessions over the next year. All are welcome to attend these Zoom meetings to hear updates, ask questions and network. Look for registration details in future ASSP Weekly emails. 

During this month’s gathering, we will share stories about the benefits of running for elected Society office. We are accepting nominations for our 2023 elections through Oct. 14, and I strongly encourage you to consider this volunteer opportunity. Everything I have done with the Society, from time spent involved in different committees and communities to learning and building relationships with different people, has helped me in my professional role. Visit www.assp.org/membership/elections to learn more.

4. We encourage you to connect with board members in the online ASSP Community (https://community.assp.org). You will find that our professional community stands ready to share information, exchange ideas and provide support. 

5. Once logged in to the ASSP Community, also review the Board Update reports. You can access these reports from the navigation pane on the right-hand side of the dashboard. We publish this report after each board meeting to share key decisions and explain the outcomes we expect from those actions.

I recently came across two quotes on trust and transparency that I think apply to our ongoing efforts to build trust and communicate more effectively with our leaders and members:

•Robert Solomon said, “Trust opens up new and unimagined possibilities.” 

•Kirsten Gillibrand said, “I find that when you open the door toward openness and transparency, a lot of people will follow you through.”

Ultimately, we strive to create an organization that provides a wide range of opportunities for any member interested in making contributions that advance our profession, our Society and each other. If you have questions about any of those opportunities, let’s connect.