The AIHA Board adopted a new strategic plan last summer, which took effect January 1, 2019. The new plan reflects the total enterprise, which includes our three LLCs, two foundations, local sections, and the Product Stewardship Society. In addition, the plan now includes metrics created jointly by the Board and staff to measure success.

Every proper plan should feature clearly articulated mission and vision statements. Ours now read:

Mission: Empowering those who apply scientific knowledge to protect all workers from occupational hazards. In other words, the association’s purpose is to provide technical and leadership training to those practicing the profession.

Vision: A world where all workers are healthy and safe. A vision statement is meant to be aspirational in tone. While we as an association cannot control the outcome stated here, we continue to work toward this goal through our programs and services.

Further, a good plan embodies core values, which reflect the underlying core of who we are as a professional society. Namely:

• We prevent illnesses and injuries: AIHA members strive to prevent occupational illness and injury as a fundamental principle of industrial hygiene and related occupational and environmental health and safety professions.
• We advocate and develop science-based policy and practice: AIHA members advocate for the profession and develop sound science-based public policy and practice through collaboration across scientific and technical communities to ensure that safe and healthy environments are provided for all workers and communities.
• We respect workers and communities: AIHA members respect the rights of workers and communities to have healthy and safe environments.
• We support employers and employees: AIHA members recognize and support that operational excellence is complementary to both business and industrial hygiene and related occupational and environmental health and safety goals and priorities.
• We respect our members: AIHA’s Board of Directors, volunteers, members, and staff conduct the business of the association with respect for diversity of opinion, transparent and open communication, and with due consideration of each member’s limited volunteer time.

Finally, the plan consists of five different domains reflecting the breadth of our programs and services. Following each domain name is what we refer to as a “success” statement, which reflects the underlying intent and purpose:

• Community: AIHA will foster networking, communication, engagement, and interaction in our membership and among our professional communities, and work toward achieving common goals.
• Awareness: AIHA will promote the practice of industrial hygiene to increase awareness of its value and to sustain the future of our organization and profession.
• Advancement and Dissemination of Knowledge: AIHA will explore, develop, and deliver cutting-edge educational resources to advance the profession of industrial hygiene.
• Integrity of IH Practice: AIHA will identify, develop, and maintain avenues to achieve excellence in standards of IH practice.
• Advocacy: AIHA will advance public policies that protect the profession and foster worker health and safety.

Over the coming months, I will spotlight each domain and report on progress being made. AIHA is a complex organization with many moving parts. Within each domain, staff are working on exciting new initiatives that help us fulfill our mission. These are very exciting times, and I hope you’ll follow along. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions about AIHA’s strategic direction. ​