Powering Performance

Most scientific reports on climate look at changes that have occurred since the pre-industrial era, or since record-keeping began. But even looking back at the past decade, it’s clear that our world today is very different from the world of 2010. Analyzing data on greenhouse gas (GHGs) concentrations, temperature rise, sea level rise and more reveal troubling trends.   

New Training Alert! Understanding the Welding Special Process System Assessment – a workshop that helps participants learn how to internally assess the management and control of their welding processes – is now available at the AIAG Store.

AIAG’s new co-chair of the Quality Steering Committee – Ford Motor Company’s Sunita Shahmehri – has deep roots in automotive. Recently recognized for 15 year of service in Ford’s Supplier Technical Assistance (STA) group, Sunita’s extensive family legacy at Ford includes her grandmother, mother, and stepfather, along with her brother, sister and husband.

The revised policy both clarifies and expands DOJ’s prior disclosure guidance.

On December 13, 2019, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) revised its policy regarding voluntary self-disclosures (VSDs) of potentially willful violations of the US government’s primary export control and sanctions laws1 (collectively, US Trade Controls) (VSD Policy). The VSD Policy both clarifies and meaningfully expands prior guidance issued in October 2016 (2016 Guidance) by DOJ’s National Security Division (NSD), which first articulated a policy of encouraging VSDs for criminal violations of US Trade Controls. The 2016 Guidance established criteria with respect to self-disclosure, cooperation, remediation, and the presence of aggravating factors that, if met, could make the disclosing party eligible for certain benefits, including reduced penalties, an abbreviated period of supervised compliance, and the possibility of a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) or of avoiding an independent monitor. This 2016 Guidance was the subject of a previous Client Alert.

In an era marked by uncertainty and rapid trade policy changes, there is an opportunity for companies to position themselves for long-term viability and success.

“We are in uncharted territory,” said Edward Dougherty, global GTM senior risk and compliance manager, for Livingston International Inc. “For those of us with grey in our hair, this is the most uncertain and fastest-changing period we’ve ever seen. Gone are the days when we had time to digest the Federal Register and figure out how to proceed, because your CFO has seen the President’s tweets and wants to know how you’re going to fix things right now.”

NAFTA 2.0 or the USMCA

Since President Trump took office in January of 2017, he has shown his desire to follow through with trade policies that were a central part of his campaign. After the President officially withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (“TPP”), he immediately focused on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”).

Did you know that up to 90% of all FMEA and Control Plan spreadsheets have errors in them? These mistakes not only cost time and money but can damage the reputation of companies using them with their customers. 

Intelligent factories, electric vehicles and traceability are just some of the factors that are influencing change in automotive part inspection, say experts in the field.

Less than one month to go until we kick off the 2020 AAMA/AIAG Southern Automotive Quality Summit! 

This year's co-hosted event -- scheduled for March 12^th, 2020, in Huntsville, Alabama -- will include a full day of industry and subject matter experts discussing a range of Quality-focused topics. 

Have you made it to one of our new AIAG & VDA FMEA classes yet? If not, now’s the time! Check out our current course offerings below and click any of the titles for more information or to register.