Social Responsibility Standard for Insurance Published

Milwaukee, Wis.-based ASQ, (the American Society for Quality) a community of quality resources and experts, is making ISO 26000: Guidance on Social Responsibility, a new international standard on social responsibility (SR), available to insurers. The standard provides global guidance for insurance organizations of all types. ASQ serves as the administrator for the U.S. Technical Advisory Group of subject matter experts that contributes to the development of the standard.

The standard focuses on seven key aspects of social responsibility: 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.

“This new international standard is the collaborative work of individuals dedicated to social responsibility,” said Paul Borawski, executive director and chief strategic officer, ASQ. “There could not be a more timely opportunity for insurance organizations to join in the SR movement and make their voices heard about the issue of social responsibility. One way is to use this standard to guide them on their SR program implementation.”

The standard is available at a list price of $193. As part of its growing effort to assume a leadership role locally and internationally in the SR movement, ASQ also created the Socially Responsible Organization (SRO) initiative, www.TheSRO.org.