January 2021 Statement from ASME Executive Director/CEO Tom Costabile

To the ASME community:

As we look back on the violent attack on democracy at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month, and look towards the future today with the inauguration of a new president, I would like to take a moment to reflect on and reaffirm ASME’s core values. These values guide how we carry out our mission to advance engineering for the benefit of humanity.

ASME is an organization built on integrity and ethical conduct. We expect it from our members, our leadership, and our staff, and we expect those principles in our institutions and those who hold power. There is no place for violence. There is no place for racism. Period. Words and actions, implicit and explicit, have consequences, so we need to make thoughtful choices and hold ourselves and others accountable.

ASME was founded on key principles in our ASME standards development activities, including openness, transparency, a 360-degree review of issues, due process, and consensus in producing technical guidance for the safety of all. These principles remain central to our work today as we support the engineering community in developing new solutions to improve the quality of life. We are committed to enabling engineers, in support of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, with programs enabling innovation to address global challenges such as efficient housing, access to sustainable resources, access to healthcare, among others, that are central to reducing inequality, poverty, and gender inequality worldwide.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are of paramount importance to ASME. We encourage, support, and celebrate the diverse voices of our employees, volunteers, customers, and communities in our technical pursuits. Too few women and people of color have the opportunity to join the global engineering profession. Yet, experience and data have shown us that different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds create a stronger, more creative work environment that delivers robust solutions.

The public health crisis has inflicted pain and hardship on so many of us and our families personally and continues to have significant economic impacts on businesses and communities. We recognize the trauma caused by the social, political, and environmental events and emergencies of the past year. We need to support each other in healing and working for a better future together. I am confident that when united by a common purpose, engineers will put our problem-solving skills to work.


Thomas Costabile, P.E.
ASME Executive Director/CEO