Do no harm. Do good. With these two basic concepts, socially responsible organizations (SRO) are able to achieve positive bottom-line results while supporting the environment and society.

“Organizations have to know where they’re potentially putting the public at risk,” says Roberto Saco, American Society for Quality (ASQ) president. “Once they mitigate those risks, then there’s another step; that is to actually do good, to see where in their business there’s a special skill or competency to offer. For instance, a maker of contact lenses might want to start a program to offer lenses at lower cost to those in need.”

ASQ recently initiated a national program, The SRO, to promote and help companies understand the value and the advantages of being socially responsible. In addition to promoting a Social Responsibility Think Tank on Nov. 15–17, ASQ has announced a new Spencer Hutchens Jr. Medal for social responsibility. The medal was named after Spencer Hutchens Jr., an ASQ former president, whose personal and business life reflects and demonstrates the desired attributes in the definition and model of social responsibility.

The medal recognizes the achievements of an individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership as an individual, a business leader, and as a cause advocate for social responsibility, primarily focusing on the marketplace, environment, workplace, and community.

 …