Two Things You Can Do Today to Elevate Geoprofessional Value

Elevate your career, your firm, and the geoprofessions by attending the GBA Fall Conference. You can also honor the Fall Conference theme of Elevating Geoprofessional Value by signing the Geoprofessional Value Accord.

REGISTER FOR THE FALL CONFERENCE TODAY HERE

The value of the geoprofessions is often misunderstood and underappreciated by our clients, our communities, and sometimes even among peers. GBA and its members are doing something about this common challenge. We created a road map (“The Geoprofessional Value Accord”) with the following aspirations that unite us and serve as a catalyst for collective effort towards elevating the value of geoprofessionals:

•  MISSION AND VALUE PROPOSITION: Geoprofessionals are essential experts that create opportunities and solve challenges at the intersection of human enterprise and the earth’s resources; we advance understanding and influence outcomes that enhance and sustain the aspirations of our clients, our communities, and our world. Geoprofessionals make lives better, knowing and “engineering” our connections to the earth.
•  GUIDING PRINCIPLES: Our value is advanced when we…
  • Are visible as leaders in our communities
  • Are open to change, through a lifelong commitment to learning and teaching
  • Are curious, embrace innovation, and lead technical advancement
  • Act as trusted advisors that enhance outcomes rather than simply providing deliverables
  • Communicate about risks and technical issues using familiar and transparent language
  • Recognize, promote, and celebrate with passion the life-changing, heroic aspects of our work
  • Stay involved with the entire life cycle of our projects
  • Include the “long-view” in our thinking
  • Support our professional societies through active participation
  • Contribute to public policies through commentary, as advisors, in appointed positions or elected office
  • Maximize our opportunities to lead projects
  • Are selective about the projects and clients that we engage
  • Seek diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Hold paramount the health, safety and welfare of the public
  • Serve as stewards of the earth

Signatories to the non-binding Accord simply share a desire to achieve the mission and value proposition through the framework of the guiding principles.

The Elevate Geoprofessional Value Accord has already garnered the signatures of 225 geoprofessionals from across North America. Please SIGN THE ACCORD today. If you are one of the many who has already done so, take this to the next step and do all you can to encourage your colleagues and peers to join you in signing the accord. Help GBA spread the word of our ongoing efforts to elevate geoprofessional value.

WHAT GEOPROFESSIONALS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE ACCORD

• “I signed the accord because our profession sorely needs a guiding document.” – Matt Monteith, PE, CTL | Thompson, Inc.
•  I signed the accord because… “Our work is essential to maintaining a civil society and we can do our job much more effectively if we are recognized as an important part of design and construction.” – Carrie Foulk, PE, GE, BSK Associates
•  “…the community in general all have different views and need to be stimulated in different ways to understand the value of geotechnical engineering and the service we provide.” – Keith Mobley, PE, GE, Northern Geotechnical Engineering
•  “Geoprofessionals and the geoprofessions are the solution providers of tomorrow’s extreme earth events. I’m focused on elevating the purpose of geologists, hydrogeologists, and engineers in educating the public and providing expertise to adapt to rapidly changing environments.” – Dave Cook, LG, CPG, Aspect Consulting LLC
•  “Our professionals are characteristically humble go-getters motivated by providing integrity and excellence in their output so that the full team can succeed on every project knowing the surety of the geoprofessional work affects everything. Our work is not always seen, but it affects every aspect of the project, a fact that we own with pride as we build… from the ground up.” – Nick Bundra, Executive Director – CalGeo
•  I signed the accord… “To show support and hopefully influence others to be a voice in educating all about the important role we play in shaping the place in which we live.” – Jay Martin, PE, FGBA, WSP
•  “I signed because I truly believe that if many of us do a better job explaining the value of our profession, the situation will improve.” – Martin LaRoche, PE, M.Sc., Kiewit
•  “I am focused on the role of the engineering community in the future. I am convinced that we can enhance our public image, inspire future generations to join the engineering community, and maximize the value that we provide through our work by focusing on our role in helping communities and society deal with the challenges of the 21st century. The Elevate Geoprofessional Value Accord emphasizes that role.” – Mike McMeekin, PE, Exec. Director Engineering Change Lab – USA
• “Value Accord focus helps us understand and communicate the context in which we belong. As geoprofessionals, when we better understand our values we are more apt to confidently communicate them to our clients, ideally achieving heightened appreciation for the profession.” – Laura Register PE, F.GBA, Terracon
•  “I signed the accord because I believe our industry has a long way to go and needs to be more valued. As geoprofessionals compete against each other we have lower margins, tighter schedules, overworked employees, which can lead to make mistakes or cutting corners and employee burnout. This situation also makes it difficult for employee retention and makes DEI in the workplace a key component into elevating our profession.” – Veronica DeFreitas, PE, Universal Engineering Sciences

SIGN THE ACCORD HERE