b'12 Member News November 2020The year of the concordatFrom the Past President There have been so many major achievements over the year and it has been such a privilege to be part of them. Some like our Young Women Engineer of the IET President, Dr Peter Bonfield OBE FREng BSc MScYear Award occurred pre-Covid were celebrated in our normal PhD CEng FIET, reflects on his Presidential term as hephysical and online methods. hands over to Danielle George MBE CEng FIET. Others like our recent prize for school children to come up with Its been an extraordinary yearinnovate sporting equipment to be President of our greatdesigns were conducted Institution. In spite of theexclusively online - and brilliantly many challenges posed by theso. One of the highlights was to pandemic, Ive been inspiredmeet all those volunteers who by our amazing members anddo work to assess competencies partners who have adapted andand similar of members to ensure have really come together as athat their membership and community to help with nationalpromotion within our Institution and international efforts tomeets the quality requirements make the world a safer place. Idwe expect. They are a quiet, yet like to thank our members andextremely important part that partners who have given theirprotects our collective reputation.support and knowledge to helpWe have done much work find solutions to the challengesas a Board of Trustees, with we face. What we have all seenCouncil, including the approval too, is just how critical theof a significant new publishing technology and engineering weagreement that will ensure our collectively enable, is to supportJournals benefit those that need the world when challenged asthem in a way that is fitting for it has been. Id also like to thank our members and partners forthe future. After a huge amount engaging with us as we adaptedof work, I am also very pleased to restrictions, moving many ofthat we have signed off on our events and services into athe refurbishment of Michael virtual environment. It has beenFaraday House which is where a huge privilege and pleasurethe majority of our staff work. to serve you as President. Taking a building in urgent need of refurbishment, to one that will provide our staff with modern Dr Peter Bonfield OBE FREng BSc MSc PhD CEng FIET working space, that is sustainable, I am in awe of all thehealthy and fit for the future.incredible work ourcompetency across the sectorEnterprise partnership groups so that professional engineershave re-focussed and re-members, volunteers,are trusted by society to do theenergised their engagementAs my Presidential term corporate andright thing and are valued forwith us around the Concordat.comes to an end, Im their expertise. This is, and willPlus, with digital engineeringdelighted to hand over to enterprise partners,continue to be, a major focus forand data playing an increasinglyDanielle George who will and our wonderful andthe IET. Throughout my careerimportant role in many of ourbe an amazing and inspiring committed IET staffIve witnessed the great worksectors, its vital that ethicalrole model throughout that engineers and technicianspractices are followed, andher Presidency. Im do to make a positivedo across the world, but Ive alsocompetency is recognised asparticularly looking forward impact on the world. seen the devastating impactwe collaborate across teams,to our 150th anniversary it can have when things godepartments, companies andcelebrations and seeing wrong. Im therefore delightedborders. Many of the companiesour plans come to fruition that some of the UKs biggestthat have committed to theacross the world.At the beginning of my term inemployers and some of our mostconcordat work internationallyIn the meantime, please office, at last years Presidentsengaged partners have pledgedand, as an Institution with suchstay safe.Address I launched a concordat,to show their commitment tostrong international presence, which mandated engineeringthe principles laid out in theit is my expectation thatIt has been a great privilege organisations to championconcordat. Multiple companiesmany more organisations willto serve as your President.professionalism, ethics andacross our Corporate andcommit around the world.'