From the President & Board Chair

In a time of dizzying change, people need a trusted partner with the vision and the agility to keep pace — a mission-driven enterprise they can connect with, and count on, for the knowledge and confidence they need to feel powerful in today’s marketplace.

At CR, our work has always been about equipping consumers to find their place and their power in a world that never slows down. For 87 years, we’ve helped people meet new threats and seize new opportunities each time the marketplace has evolved — and with those evolutions now arriving faster and faster, our mission has never been more relevant than it is today.

Cars are a prime example, with consumers now buying, driving, and maintaining what have essentially become computers on wheels. That’s why, in April, CR’s Auto Test Center celebrated the opening of a new 1.5-mile loop specifically created to evaluate the latest innovations in car technology — including driver assistance systems. This exciting new addition was built not only to put the latest models to the test but also to adapt alongside emerging technologies like automated driving. It’s just one example of how CR is staying focused on the road ahead so that consumers are well equipped to face — and shape — the future, whatever innovations it brings.

Nowhere is that future murkier than in the digital marketplace, where corporate consolidation and a rush of deceptive practices have made it harder than ever for people to feel protected. As companies continue to use and abuse our personal data, CR is standing up and meeting the moment. Having found success in a number of states, we’re fighting for key national legislation that would give people the power to control their own data so that companies can’t profit from it without their consent. And we’re not just pursuing new policies. We’re also empowering consumers with practical new tools like Permission Slip, a free app from CR’s Innovation Lab that makes it easy for consumers to exercise their digital rights and reclaim their data from corporations.

Our work is all about raising the standards of the marketplace and putting power in people’s hands — and amplifying the voices of consumers has always been essential to that work. This year, we organized over 850,000 signatures and emails to government and corporate leaders, urging them to step up and raise the bar on a host of issues, from removing heavy metals in popular dark chocolates to ending junk fees on internet bills.

We also helped secure several critical consumer laws across the country, including the STURDY Act. For the first time ever, new dressers sold in the U.S. have to meet a strong stability standard — a breakthrough that will spare countless families the horror and heartbreak of a furniture tip-over in a child’s room. This victory was years in the making, powered by a coalition of consumers, parents, and other advocates. It shows the inherent strength of consumer power, and the difference we can make when we come together and assert that power for the common good.

These are just a few of CR’s achievements this year, and I encourage you to read our full 2023 Impact Report to learn more. But none of our accomplishments would have been possible without the members behind our work — without all of you. Your commitment to CR is the reason we were able to deliver on our mission so successfully this past year. And you’re why CR has been recognized by Fast Company — for the first time ever — as one of its “Brands That Matter” for our undeniable impact.

As we near the end of a year marked by so many meaningful victories, I also find myself reflecting on a momentous loss: the passing of Rhoda Karpatkin, a giant of the consumer movement who carried CR’s mission in her DNA as our president for a quarter century. It was Rhoda’s leadership and vision that helped CR grow to become a modern consumer champion — not merely a magazine, but a pillar of purpose, a bulwark and a bullhorn for the rights and needs of all people.

Rhoda’s legacy is alive in the work that goes on, in the drive to keep fighting, and in the values she embodied and instilled in this enterprise — values that still animate CR today. Those timeless values will continue to fuel our mission as we look ahead to 2024 and beyond, taking the next step forward in our own evolution to keep delivering for consumers in a changing world.

Throughout my three years as chair, I’ve been amazed by the way the CR team continues to evolve to meet the new challenges consumers face.

Since 1936, CR has been a trusted partner helping people navigate a complex marketplace by investigating, educating, and advocating for the needs and interests of all consumers. In every era, our challenge has been to help level the playing field and put power in people’s hands — developing tools and strategies to contend with the new realities of a marketplace that changes dramatically day by day.

Two years ago, we introduced CR Recommended (CRR) to bring our trusted guidance to people where and when they need us most. Manufacturers that meet our standards are allowed to use our CRR mark, and with one click or a quick scan of a QR code, people can bring CR’s full expertise to bear just as they’re getting ready to make a decision in a store or online. And this year, we’ve expanded how the CR Recommended mark is showing up in the world, so more consumers are learning about our trusted recommendations.

We are evolving to meet people where they are when it comes to product safety — and nowhere are the stakes higher than when it comes to protecting our children. We’re making it easier for new parents to gain the knowledge and confidence they need by bringing all our baby coverage together into one comprehensive digital resource. You can quickly get insight into more than a thousand baby products across a host of categories — from the big-ticket items like strollers, cribs, and car seats to small-but-important purchases like infant bathtubs, bottle warmers, and baby-safe bug spray. With new custom tools, like our free, interactive infant car seat finder, parents can get guidance that is not only expert but also tailored to their specific needs and what they can afford.

CR is also building on our long legacy of fighting for the fundamental safety of all people, including when it comes to the water we drink. Following up on our 2021 national investigation into the safety of Americans’ drinking water, CR conducted a new study this year in Mississippi. Working with Mississippi Spotlight, a journalism collaborative that includes a variety of newsrooms, from nonprofits to Black press, we collected 149 samples across the state. The results were deeply concerning: Nearly all had detectable levels of lead and PFAS — pollutants known as “forever chemicals” — and every single sample contained arsenic. Now, we’re using this on-the-ground research to encourage action, urging Mississippi officials to provide households with effective filters and calling on the Environment Protection Agency to finalize rules limiting PFAS for drinking water nationwide.

In addition, our team is focused on disruptive developments in the digital marketplace, preparing to take on the challenge — and the opportunity — that artificial intelligence represents. CR believes a consumer-first approach to AI is possible, but not without strong rules and guardrails to ensure transparency, accuracy, privacy, and fairness. We’ll tackle the new threats that always arrive in the wake of new innovations, but we’ll also work with consumers and partners to explore what AI can do for the common good. We’re already testing how generative AI can advance our mission, from helping our staff predict trends and analyze data to embedding CR’s trusted insights into AI-powered consumer tools. As AI continues to gain mainstream use, we need to ensure that it is ethically deployed — working for people, not against us.

As I complete my term as chair I want to express how much I’ve appreciated being part of this work — and how grateful I am for the people who have made it possible. Thank you to my fellow board members, to Marta for her leadership over the years, and to all the staff and members who lay the foundation of our impact. When I began my term in the pandemic, I could not have imagined the new horizons we now approach, and I know your dedication will only lead to advancing our mission, guiding us toward a bright future for CR and consumers everywhere.