In a previous blog post, I introduced you to AIHA’s new strategic plan, which covers the years 2022–24. For the first time, we’ll be broadly communicating the plan throughout the association. We’ve already started creating initial awareness during the recent Color Council calls, with more information to come. Our intent is for everyone in AIHA to become familiar with our organization’s overarching vision, values, and objectives. You can find the new plan on AIHA’s website (PDF).

Like the current plan, our new plan incorporates AIHA’s associated business entities: the AIHA Laboratory Accreditation Programs LLC, AIHA Registry Programs LLC, AIHA Proficiency Analytical Testing Programs LLC, the American Industrial Hygiene Foundation, the AIHA Guideline Foundation, and the Product Stewardship Society. Both the current plan and the new plan are built around five “domains,” or areas of focus: community, awareness, advancement and dissemination of knowledge, integrity of professional practice, and advocacy. Both plans identify strategic goals within each domain and the strategies AIHA will employ to meet those goals.

Last month, I wrote about the first domain—community. The focus of this blog is to highlight the second domain: awareness.

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

For each domain, the new plan notes what we refer to as a “success statement,” which embodies what we aspire to achieve in this area of practice. The success statement for awareness is “AIHA will promote the practice of occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) by increasing awareness of the value of the profession and growing the organization and profession.” As in the current plan, awareness refers to growing the organization per se as well as enhancing recognition of the profession and our intrinsic value to society.

Next, the plan lays out three strategic objectives, which define what we intend to focus on over the next three-year cycle. The objectives in awareness are:

1. As an association, communicate our mission, vision, values, and value proposition to increase the strength of the organization. By this, we mean taking proactive steps to attract new members to the organization.
2. As a profession, inform organizational leaders of the value proposition of OEHS professionals: who we are, what we do, and why. Here, as evidenced by one of our content priorities—“Communicating OEHS Concepts”—we continue our efforts to educate senior management about the value our profession contributes to a company’s bottom line.
3. As a profession, broadly communicate to the public AIHA’s mission, vision, and value proposition to improve society. We remain committed to educating the public about who we are and how we are making the workplace safer for all workers.

RAISING AIHA AND THE PROFESSION’S PROFILE

As you can see, the awareness domain reflects a broad array of activities aimed both internally at our “core” OEHS professionals as well as externally to the millions of workers we ultimately serve. Next month, I’ll focus on the advancement and dissemination of knowledge domain.