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MRS Company Scheme Growing
The UK's Market Research Society (MRS) has announced the signing of the seventieth member for its Company Partner Service. The scheme is a variation on corporate membership for an association which previously allowed only individual members, and is likely to have underscored the forthcoming merger with the BMRA.
The BMRA functions as a trade association with corporate membership, whereas the MRS has traditionally accepted only individual members in its capacity as the professional society. The introduction of the Company Partner Service in April 2005 came after years of on-off talks between the two, with the opposing bases of membership often cited as a difficulty in rationalising services. The breakthrough was announced in DRNO on 9th December (www.mrweb.com/drno/news4936.htm ).
The new Service, which gives agencies a package including a wide range of MRS services, requires the whole organisation to sign up to compliance with the MRS Code of Conduct, and not just individual MRS members.
The association says the 70 Partners span the research spectrum from full-service agencies to field companies and qualitative specialists. Rowland Lloyd, MD, Operations of Ipsos-MORI (and Chairman of the MRS Market Research Standards Board) says his company 'greatly values the support the Scheme is bringing in terms of developing our people's careers and increasing the importance of effective self-regulation. Large organisations like ours need to support the industry by proactively, and visibly, complying with the Code.' Jim Law, MD of MRUK Research says the Scheme's cost structure 'has also encouraged us to participate in more MRS events - which is a great advantage'.
According to MRS Director General David Barr, the Service and its associated 'trustmark' reflect core MRS values of 'supporting professionalism, research excellence, and business effectiveness'. He notes that 'we expect many more companies to join the service in 2006'.
A full list of MRS Company Partners is available on the MRS web site at www.mrs.org.uk.
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