Council of American Survey Research Organizations
Our definition of Council of American Survey Research Organizations:
Council of American Survey Research Organizations. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Port Jefferson, NY, CASRO represents over 300 companies and research operations in the United States and abroad, all of which must abide by the organization’s Code of Standards. CASRO seeks to:
- Promote a rigorous code of conduct that enhances the image of survey research and protects the public's rights and privacy
- Advocate the industry's effective self-regulation when legislators propose bills that threaten legitimate survey research
- Champion legitimate research companies and marginalize disreputable research “pretenders” who threaten to tarnish the industry's reputation and alienate respondents
Since its inception in 1975, the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO) has operated as an umbrella organization for the survey research industry. CASRO's membership includes more than 325 survey research companies which together employ approximately 32,000 workers. Approximately 85 percent of survey research companies in the United States and 30 percent of international survey research
companies belong to CASRO. CASRO represents its member organizations in a variety of industry initiatives and acts as a liaison between members and international survey research associations. CASRO also advocates on behalf of the survey research industry in the legislative context, lobbying against bills that could potentially interfere with the efforts of reputable survey research companies.
In order to foster and maintain survey research as a legitimate and socially beneficial form of academic and statistical inquiry, CASRO has developed a rigorous professional code, the CASRO Code of Standards and Ethics for Survey Research, to which member companies and organizations are required to adhere. Among other things, CASRO's Code of Standards and Ethics strives to protect the privacy and other rights of the public and of research participants and preserve the integrity of research results. The Code of Standards and Ethics has become the gold standard for ethical guidelines in the survey research industry.
Membership in CASRO offers many benefits for survey research companies and their employees, including access to a wide range of useful industry data, excellent training and networking opportunities, educational and informational workshops, and industry conferences held in locations all across the United States. CASRO's members are also listed in an online directory that is made available to potential clients looking to contract with CASRO companies. Because survey research involves many legal and ethical issues, including the compensation of research subjects, the rights of research participants, and the proper use of statistical data, CASRO offers advice regarding compliance with the applicable laws, regulations, and ethical rules, as well as conflict resolution services in the event of disputes with clients or survey respondents. CASRO's Research Career Development initiative actively recruits top students at colleges and universities to work in the survey research industry.
The survey research industry is a critical information resource for marketing and advertising firms on Madison Avenue, Wall Street, and beyond. The use of carefully collected and analyzed survey data has helped America to become perhaps the most innovative and energetic business environment in the world. The findings of survey research companies have provided valuable information about consumer preferences to manufacturers, thereby shaping the products available on the market today and tailoring them to the needs of the public. CASRO fills an integral and indispensable role in helping survey research companies fulfill their vital function in the engine of American commerce.
