Improving processes Earning and keeping the trust of stakeholders has become a key priority for business and government. Organizations are seeking ways to demonstrate good governance, effective management systems and accountability. This is why QMI's work of advancing business excellence through value added auditing is such an important aspect of making standards work. QMI's business results attest to the broad application of these services - valued by such diverse clients as army depots, hospitals, banks and food manufacturers. Internally, CSA Group applies the same rigour to continually improve its own processes, as evidenced by continuing high levels of member and customer satisfaction. At QMI, for example, customer delivery times - from audit to certificate - have been reduced by 50 per cent. CSA International is piloting a knowledge management system that will help staff create, maintain, document and share their collective knowledge. The division is also developing new quality objectives and staff performance metrics, as well as updating and augmenting technical inspection and review procedures. With proven experience in stakeholder engagement and collaborative process management, CSA is leveraging its know-how and working with a wide range of external organizations through memoranda of understanding and other means to bring innovative solutions to market. For example, the division has teamed up with the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and have implemented joint projects in Emergency Management/Business Continuity and Electrical Safety in the Workplace. Both areas employ an innovative bi-national standards development process to ensure effective collaboration between Canadian and American stakeholders which will result in standards that reflect a common, harmonized approach to emergency management and worker safety on both sides of the border. Additionally, a new joint initiative with ASTM to collaborate on and co-develop interactive tutorials, learning modules and case studies will reap benefits as both Canada and the United States jointly deal with the issue of a need for greater standards awareness in the university and community college curriculums. Developing products Consumers face a never-ending flow of new products and are searching for reliable, objective information. At the same time, manufacturers are looking for ways to improve and distinguish their products, while getting them to market on a timely basis. Our product certification and testing, and product performance evaluation divisions, CSA International and OnSpeX, receive more than 100 requests for evaluation each and every day. Technical integrity and thoroughness combined with efficient service remain our number one priority. The changing nature of product commercialization and global supply contracts requires us to be acutely aware of the implications of these changes and especially rigorous in our use of standards. Our corporate legal department will continue to enforce our zero tolerance policy of fraudulent and counterfeit products bearing CSA marks. New initiatives and resources during 2007/2008 will add to this commitment. Elsewhere across CSA Group, we have recently added to our products and services in response to demand for personal certification programs, custom auditing solutions and organic certification services. We are also a founding member of the newly-formed Centre for Fiduciary Excellence (CEFEX), a global initiative to promote best practices within the financial industry through fiduciary certification and ratings for organizations.      © Copyright 2007 Canadian Standards Association. All rights reserved.