What do I get with my membership?
Edward P. Salek, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report June 2018
Membership offers many benefits. The ability to say you’re part of an organization with high ethical standards is one of them.
STLE’s logo on your business card tells customers, vendors and colleagues that you have agreed to a set of codified principles dedicated to professionalism, honesty and fair play.
© Can Stock Photo / starfotograf
Throughout our nearly 75 years of existence, STLE has built a reputation as the premier technical organization for tribology and lubricants. We support that reputation by advancing innovation in the field, helping people gain technical expertise and by being a global advocate for the profession.
But STLE’s impact stretches beyond these areas to include serving as a leader in establishing high standards that guide the ethical interaction of companies and people who have chosen to become members of the organization. This guidance comes from a series of governance and policy statements that have been established by past STLE Boards of Directors and which are curated by the current leadership.
Under these rules, a member’s relationship with the society is established by a portion of the STLE Constitution and Bylaws. The statement commits members to “abide by the Constitution and Bylaws, the Code of Conduct and other rules and regulations as the Society may adopt.”
The referenced Code of Conduct explains what it means for members to act in a “professional manner marked by integrity and a spirit of fair play.” It’s comprised of nine statements on topics that govern activities in areas including protection of competitive or corporate information, confidentiality commitments and proprietary information. The code also encourages trust and honest exchange between peers by encouraging members to “answer truthfully all non-competitive questions and inquiries from the society or any member.”
The Constitution and Bylaws, Code of Conduct and other policies described in this column are available for review at
www.stle.org under the About tab.
Two newer policies deal with issues that are receiving more intense interest and scrutiny every day. One is a Harassment Policy for Program and Activities, which relates to personal interactions. It states in part, “STLE is committed to providing an atmosphere that encourages the free expression and exchange of scientific ideas. As part of that commitment, it is dedicated to promoting an environment that is safe and comfortable for all participants in society-related programs and activities and that encourages respect for the dignity of each individual.”
A privacy statement, second of the two policies, confronts digital age concerns about the collection and dissemination of personal information through the Website or other means. There also is a social media aspect of the policy that seeks to assure that Facebook or LinkedIn sites sponsored by STLE serve as responsible forums for discussion on issues related to tribology and lubrication engineering.
Members who abide by these policies earn a unique privilege of membership. You may use the STLE name, acronym and logo on letterhead and business cards, provided such reference does not indicate, directly or indirectly, endorsement by STLE of the member’s business, services or products.
Members also may use the STLE name, acronym and logo in print and Web advertising, provided the same requirements are met. Details about proper usage of the name and logo are also outlined in a policy that appears on
www.stle.org.
Several hundred years ago, U.S. President Thomas Jefferson advised his contemporaries, “On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock.” In today’s world, STLE is proud to be the rock that technical professionals can identify with to show their commitment to fair and responsible ways of doing business.
You can reach Certified Association Executive Ed Salek at esalek@stle.org.