ASQ, the world's largest network of quality resources and experts, will host its first social responsibility conference June 16-17, 2011, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in San Francisco, Calif. The 2011 Pathways to Social Responsibility Conference will provide a platform for professionals to share and exchange ideas on social responsibility (SR) issues and the integration of quality methodologies, and will provide insight into the application of the forthcoming social responsibility standard, ISO 26000: Guidance on Social Responsibility. More information on the ASQ social responsibility conference can be found at http://www.asq.org/conferences/social-responsibility/.

General Conference Highlights
The conference theme is Pathways to Social Responsibility: Creating the Framework for a Better Tomorrow. Speakers and concurrent sessions will focus on:

• Newly released SR research studies from IBM and Manpower.

• An overview of SR including the ROI of SR, case studies, and how to start and grow an SR community in your organization.

• An extended look at the SR standard: ISO 26000.

• A systems view of implementing an SR initiative.

• SR's link to the quality profession and methodologies.
  

"It's clear that the choices we make today to ensure a more ethical work and living environment will certainly have a significant and often lasting impact tomorrow," said Paul Borawski, ASQ executive director and chief strategic officer. "This conference provides an opportunity for business leaders to understand a modern view of social responsibility, how the new ISO 26000 standard will provide the framework for developing social responsibility objectives and programs and how the concepts, techniques and tools of quality play a major role in implementation and measurement of SR success. Social responsibility is not just philanthropy or environmental practices. Social responsibility, in modern context, contributes to the top and bottom lines of organizations."

Social Responsibility Standard
The new SR standard is scheduled to be released October 2010, and will be available through ASQ. ASQ serves as the U.S. Technical Advisory Group secretariat for the standard.

ASQ Social Responsibility Conference
Specific information about ISO 26000 can be found at http://www.asq.org/social-responsibility-standard/index.html. This international standard provides guidelines that can be integrated into an organization's best practices. It will focus on seven key aspects of SR: organizational governance, community involvement and development, environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues, labor practices and human rights. While ASQ embodies and supports all seven subjects, it initially is concentrating on the areas that will deliver the greatest value to the quality community: organizational governance; environment; and community involvement and development. As part of its growing effort to assume a leadership role locally and internationally in the SR movement, ASQ created the Socially Responsible Organization (SRO) initiative, www.TheSRO.org. ASQ is also developing concepts, tools and techniques to help organizations achieve SR business results.

Conference Venue Boasts SR Initiatives
ASQ chose to host the conference at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in San Francisco because of Marriott's continued efforts in the SR arena. The property has several features that conserve water usage and donates more than 50,000 pounds of food and more than 100,000 pounds of used furnishings and extra toiletries to local nonprofits and shelters. The hotel’s The View Lounge also serves premium wine that comes from vineyards that use compost from the hotel.

Marriott Hotels also recently launched the Spirit to Preserve the Rainforest promotion. For meetings or stays of 10 rooms or more booked during select dates, participating Marriott hotels around the world contribute funds equal to 5 percent of the total cost of the group’s guest rooms to protect the critically endangered Brazilian rainforest.

ASQ (American Society for Quality), ASQ, has been the world’s leading authority on quality for more than 60 years. With more than 80,000 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 a champion of the quality movement, ASQ offers technologies, concepts, tools and training to quality professionals, quality practitioners and everyday consumers. ASQ has been the sole administrator of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award since 1991. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., ASQ is a founding sponsor of the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a prominent quarterly economic indicator and also produces the Quarterly Quality Report.

American Society for Quality / ASQ

American Society for Quality / ASQ

ASQ is the world's leading membership organization devoted to quality. We have the knowledge, tools, expertise and resources to inspire you and your organization.

Social responsibility is an ideology. Quality is the methodology to achieve sustainability and measure impact from existing organizational strategies, systems, practices, and processes. And as part of its growing effort to assume a leadership role locally and internationally in the SR movement, ASQ created the Socially Responsible Organization (SRO) initiative. Join ASQ and we'll help you Make Good Great®.

For additional information please visit: www.theSRO.org

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