Dear Direct Selling Colleague,
Thank you for being part of the DSA Annual Meeting.
Ours is an age marked by transition. As direct selling faces these tides of change, the fight to protect our independent salesforces and their ability to build business on their own terms remains our lynchpin issue.
We have taken note of the cultural moment all Americans experience today – as a country, a marketplace, an industry, and an Association. In doing so, it has become clear that we now face a time not merely for evolution, but revolution.
Building on our longstanding self-regulatory efforts, DSA’s ethics and self-regulation initiative is a bold new program designed to improve the reputation of direct selling companies, our independent contractors, and the direct selling channel.
Modeled after self-regulation programs in other industries as cited by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), this program will rely upon third-party administration, a comprehensive affirmative review of business practices, and industry-wide support.
Sufficient resources will ensure the successful launch and ongoing sustainability of the program.
Such a bold new approach – one that will provide a broader opportunity for direct sellers to address consumer issues and ensure a vibrant future for direct selling companies and distributors – cannot exist without your support. The Annual Meeting proved that the full spectrum of direct selling is ready to step forward and raise the bar in important new ways.
More than ever before, we know that our common challenges are also the source of shared strength. We are stronger together, and only by working together can we preserve direct selling community’s freedom through self-regulation initiatives built on transparency and the commitment to adhere to best practices.
Thank you for being part of this movement and for your contributions to DSA and the business. I look forward to working with each of you toward our successful future.
Sincerely,
Joseph N. Mariano
