INNOVATION September-October 2017

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WORD ʻ PROFESSIONAL ’ ? The decision to adopt a simplified business name without the word “professional” was a difficult one, and one to which the working group and Council gave extensive consideration. Ultimately, the decision was driven by a desire to help the public stay engaged in the work that members do by enhancing recognition and recall. It is also more inclusive by representing all members, including members-in- training, licensees and students—not just professional members. And, it encourages licensure by working to reduce the perception that only individuals practising in fields traditionally associated with professional licensure (e.g., civil engineers) are required to be registered. The professional designations (P.Eng., P.Geo.) are not changing, nor are those for our licensees and members- in-training (Eng.L., Geo.L., EIT, GIT). Your professional designation will continue to indicate to the public that you are licensed to practise your profession, and are professional, ethical, and accountable. While the association’s business name may not use the word ʻprofessional,’ this is still a cornerstone of who we are. It will be seen in how we present our members to the public: ethical, dedicated to professional excellence, safe, and progressive. It will also be seen in how we conduct ourselves: enforcing high standards of entry and practice, and taking action when these standards are not met. We believe it is far more compelling to show, rather than tell, how members demonstrate their professionalism. SHOULD I USE THE ACRONYM EGBC? No. We are Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Our new name is intended to increase public recall and recognition of the professions and our organization. By having the names of the professions heard and displayed, it helps to raise the profile of our members, and better explains who we are. Therefore, it is important that the acronym is not used. The acronym is only used in rare circumstances, such as website URLs, where character count is limited. HOW MUCH DID IT COST TO DEVELOP THE NEW BRAND? Costs were accounted for within the association’s budget over the past three years, and involved working with a consulting firm to research and define a brand that would achieve the goals set by Council. These goals were: to raise the profile of the engineering and geoscience professions and the association, and to create greater clarity around our role as a regulator that works in the public interest. The work included in-depth research, consultation with members, the public, and stakeholders, and creative development. In total, the cost of this work was $250K, and was spread

out over three years to manage expenditures. WHAT ABOUT THE ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS ACT? WILL IT REQUIRE A CHANGE? No. Only our business name is changing to Engineers and Geoscientists BC. Our legal name remains the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of British Columbia, in alignment with our Act. View Engineers and Geoscientists BC’s brand video on our website at

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To help launch our brand, advertisements were published in several publications across BC, promoting public awareness of engineering and geoscience professionals and their association.

egbc.ca and help us celebrate by sharing it with your colleagues and networks. To help launch our brand, advertisements were published in several publications across BC. Visit our website to view a few of our ads. j Have a question about the brand that we didn’t answer here? Contact communications@egbc.ca and visit egbc.ca to learn more.

The diamond shape of the logo is representative of both the natural and built world that engineers and geoscientists work within. The lower half is symbolic of what lies below the surface; and the upper half, the built environment that lives

above the surface. While the symbol is abstract, it may also be associated with natural phenomena like mountains, strata, and waves, or built structures such as cables, arches, or trusses. The diamond shape is also representative of the precision and outstanding quality of our members’ work—the pinnacle of excellence: the coming together of geoscience and engineering, and the care and unity we have with our natural environment.

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