CCIL News

Public Relations Post Inc. (PR POST) was commissioned to conduct a comprehensive strategic planning exercise to assist the Board of Directors of the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories in identifying the priority initiatives for CCIL over the next three years.

During Q1 of this year, all Board members responded to a detailed questionnaire and participated in one-on-one telephone interviews, providing input on the organization’s key Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) and its strategic priorities.

With this initial research completed, the Board met for a full day in Toronto on April 28 to discuss and agree on the key elements of the Strategic Plan. A draft report was then prepared by PR POST which the Board reviewed and approved at its July 16 meeting.

This report highlights the top strategic initiatives, ranked in order of importance, which CCIL will be implementing over the 2018-2021 period.

1. Succession planning
   – CCIL will recruit a full-time Executive Director. A part-time Executive Director will manage the organization in the interim.
   – Board membership will reflect a younger, more diverse demographic.
   – Assistants to key staff members will be hired so there is no disruption or loss of expertise/knowledge in the event of personnel changes.
2. Regional divisional committees
   – CCIL will establish regional divisional committees, seeded at the local level by division directors, which will hold regularly scheduled meetings. This structure will facilitate more local input on issues, and will encourage greater participation and engagement among members.
   – As well, these committees will provide a pool of talent from which to recruit new directors to the national Board.
3. Certification
   – CCIL will expand its existing certification programs, and will explore opportunities to launch new programs as long as they do not compete with those offered by members.
   – Customer service levels will be improved, and there will be greater oversight of the certification programs by the Executive Director and the Board.
4. Advocacy
   -CCIL will carry out a more proactive advocacy program. It will have a stronger research component, will be more targeted and strategic in its approach, and will exert greater influence by building alliances and partnerships where appropriate.
5. Membership & Revenue Growth
   -CCIL will explore ways to grow membership and revenue, including: creating new value-added products and services, developing new training and certification programs (as long as they do not compete with those offered by members), and expanding into other testing areas.

Report Prepared by:

A Brief Message from the President of CCIL:

This year, CCIL marks its 25th Anniversary. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our Board, we have enjoyed tremendous success over the past quarter century. Looking ahead, CCIL will continue to play a vital role in the health and prosperity of the industry.

We are excited about the future, and we know you share in this excitement. We welcome your comments, and we will keep you informed of our progress as we implement this Strategic Plan.

Gordon H. Leaman, P. Eng.
President
Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories