New AMSRO Associate membership

AMSRO now offers a new category of membership: Associate Membership.

Associate Membership assists small firms who wish to join AMSRO and have coverage by the Market and Social Research Privacy Principles (M&SRPPs), but find it difficult to attain certification to ISO 20252.

A small firm is defined as one whose annual revenue from research services is under $500,000, the lowest tier of membership fees.

The general requirements of AMSRO membership remain the same for Associate Members:

• the firm’s main business is the supply of market and social research services in Australia
• at least one senior employee holds AMSRS membership
• the firm agrees to abide by the AMSRO rules
• the firm complies with the AMSRS Code of Professional Behaviour
• the firm agrees to abide by the M&SRPPs
• annual turnover is less than $500,000 (defined as all external billings for market and social research services exc GST in Australia)
• the firm complies with the AMSRO NUW Agreement

In addition, in line with AMSRO’s focus on quality standards:

• the firm must undertake to sub-contract any fieldwork or other operations services in Australia to organisations that are certified to ISO 20252
• the main contact in the firm must be familiar with the principles of ISO 20252

Associate Members are entitled to all the benefits of AMSRO membership.

An Associate Member can become a Member at any time by gaining certification to ISO 20252. To do so, they are able to access the services of AMSRO Quality Consultant, The Cruse Partnership, and may be eligible to obtain certification under the AMSRO small business offer.

The annual membership fee for Associate Members is $900 exc GST. The increase over the Member fee on this membership tier recognises the fact that Members incur the costs of ISO 20252 certification.

AMSRO has launched Associate membership in recognition of the importance of ensuring that small firms are not disadvantaged by the limitations imposed by their size. It builds on their offer of ISO 20252 certification for small businesses, launched in 2009.

Small firms are now able to access the benefits of operating under the M&SRPPs and, if they wish, being certified to ISO 20252.

For more information, go to the AMSRO website www.amsro.com.au or contact the Secretariat on amsro@amsro.com.au.