Joint Statement by the Heads of Canada's Largest Market and Survey Research Firms in Reaction to the Winding-down of the Market and Survey Research Association (MRIA)

TORONTO, July 31, 2018 /CNW/ - Earlier this morning, the CEOs of some of Canada's largest market and survey research firms held a conference call to discuss the statement issued today by the Market and Survey Research Association (MRIA) that the organization was ceasing operations.

Participants on the call included the leadership of Environics Research, Leger Analytics, Leger 360, Nanos Research, EKOS Research Associates, Corporate Research Associates and CRC Research. The joint statement below captures their initial reaction. Other industry leaders will be included in future discussions about the vital need to continue to uphold industry standards and certification practices in the absence of the MRIA.

Joint statement, as stated by Don Mills (President of CRA Research Associates) and Jean-Marc Léger (President, Leger 360), on behalf of the signatories below:

"As leaders of Canada's largest market and survey research firms, we find MRIA's announcement that it will be ceasing operations to be a very unfortunate occurrence," stated Don Mills. "We had an urgent call this morning to discuss next steps. We were in full agreement that immediate steps should be taken to ensure the upholding of our industry's world-class standards and the certification process which warrants that the research conducted by Canada's leading research firms is rooted in a foundation of rigorous and ethical data collection. In spite of the difficulties faced by the association, the market research and intelligence industry itself remains vibrant and financially strong," he added.

"We are also in agreement that, in the absence of MRIA, a new organization must be created that will act as the standard-bearer for quality research, industry standards and certification process," stated Jean-Marc Léger. "We will continue our discussions with a view to launching a new standards and certification body in short order. We will also be broadening our outreach to other industry leaders who share our belief that quality, scientifically-sound research is a critical goal," he added.

SOURCE Environics Research