Canadian Standards Association offers a complimentary Member Education Program to ensure that all are aware of and understand the policies and procedures of the CSA consensus development process. In addition, we work to help our committee members understand the national standards system and how that affects their work at CSA.
The goal of CSA's Member Education Program is to ensure that participants in the CSA standards development process clearly understand:
- The policies and procedures which govern the CSA standards development process
- The implications of involvement in the development process, including the Competition Act
- The roles and responsibilities of CSA members
- The rationale for the process relevant to their roles
- CSA's relationship with the Standards Council of Canada and other international standards bodies as well as our role in the National Standards System
By educating our members on the process, we believe the result will be increased effectiveness in the committee process and greater benefits to our members from their participation. One of the key benefits of the sessions is the interactive nature of the discussions that occurs between members and the sharing of experiences.
Training Programs
Currently the following programs are being offered to members:
- Member Orientation - The roles and responsibilities of CSA Committee Members
This one day session focuses on the CSA Consensus Development Process. New members benefit from understanding the steps which lead to the development of a consensus standard, while more experienced members are updated on the changes to CSA's procedures and policies which govern standards development.
- Guiding the Process - The role and Responsibilities of CSA Committee Chairs
This one day session gives CSA Chairs the opportunity to learn from each other while listening to one of CSA's most experienced members sharing his or her expertise on achieving consensus. The focus of the material is on the consensus process, the resolutions of negative votes and the close relationship between the Chair and the CSA Project Manager.
- Customized Programs
In addition to the formal sessions, CSA Member Services offers "Issue Specific Modules" which can be tailored to address any issue relevant to a committee's activities.
Upcoming Sessions
For more information on our Member Education programme or for information on our upcoming Member Education Sessions, contact Member Services at (416) 747-2567, Fax (416) 401-6975.