Strategic Planning feedback

Strategic Plan feedback

Hello CHAS members!

In 2022, CHAS is updating its strategic plan for the next 5 years; it was last updated in 2015. The plan lays the groundwork for the projects the Division takes on and helps us identify new opportunities to serve our members and stakeholders.

Please take some time to complete the questions below to help us assure that our discussions for the strategic planning process start with a solid foundation. Each section consists of several questions; click on the expansion arrow to see those questions.

The goal is to have the strategic plan process completed by the end of 2022. We expect to have a draft version available for you to review this fall.

Mission and Vision Statements

The Division’s 2015 Vision and Mission 2015 Statements read:
Vision
Improving people’s lives through the power of best chemical health and safety practices
Mission
The ACS Division of Chemical Health & Safety provides authoritative technical resources and mentorship in chemical health and safety for all.

With this mind, we have a few questions about these statements for you:

Values Statement

The ACS’s core values statement is detailed at https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/about/strategicplan/references/core-values.html

The short summary is:
• Passion for Chemistry and the Global Chemistry Enterprise
• Focus on Members
• Professionalism, Safety, and Ethics
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR)

Environmental Changes

In 2020, the ACS Strategic Planning group identified key trends impacting the chemistry enterprise. These are described in detail at https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/about/strategicplan/change-drivers-2020.pdf and outlined by this graphic.

ACS Change Drivers

CHAS Challenges and Opportunities

In 2015, the CHAS strategic planning group identified strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities to the work of the Division. These elements are outlined in each category below. The environment, both inside and outside ACS, has changed significantly since 2015. Please identify 3 items in each category that you believe should impact the Division’s strategy for 2023-2028.

Divisional Strengths:

• Regional and national meeting programming and workshops
• Connections to other ACS safety programs, including CCS, Pubs, ACS JCHAS, CHED and CINF
• Active DCHAS-L LISTSERV
• Dedication, commitment, and expertise of CHAS leaders and ACS staff
• Members have diverse health and safety expertise and knowledge

Divisional Weaknesses:

• Lack of membership involvement in the division and its programming
• Limited succession planning; same individuals involved in leadership roles for extended terms
• Inadequate communication of CHAS operations
• Inadequate membership recruitment and retention

External Threats:

• YouTube generation – reliance on social media for information 
• Safety education is hazard-based, not risk-based 
• Technology replacing problem solving 
• Follow the crowd vs. critical thinking in using information 
• Regulatory change 
• Global security threats affecting chemical security 

External Opportunities:

• ACS recognition of importance of chemical H&S 
• Insufficient training opportunities for chemical safety professionals
• Resource information needs to address a variety of demographics: YouTube generation – social media for information 
• Regulatory changes / increased awareness of liability
• Global security threats affecting chemical security 
• Industry expectation for “soft skills” not being met: Shift in safety expectations in professional transition from academe to industry/corporate
• Emergence of small start-ups – lack of safety focus 

Demographic Information

What role(s) do you have in laboratory safety?
What sector(s) do you work in?