Welcome by the President

Wayne Bowes

Welcome to Hawaii and to the annual FIDIC conference. As you will experience over the next few days, our conference hosts and co-hosts, the ACEC-US, the China National Association of Engineering Consultants and the AJCE (Japan) have prepared a wonderful programme. Hopefully all delegates will directly benefit from the quality of the presentations and discussions, our accompanying persons will enjoy this beautiful island, and we will all grow to appreciate the hospitality and warmth of the people and the beauty of the land and sea.

Another fact to be thankful for is the official dress, completely in harmony with the atmosphere, the temperature and the holiday climate.

The consulting engineering industry, being a knowledge-based industry, is naturally in the forefront of developments that enhance our quality of life. Its innovative and creative services, are much in demand as an essential ingredient for improvements in all areas of society.

Major and accelerating technological advances in computing sophistication and power, communications initiatives and the dynamic growth of the market economy from part of the comprehensive set of forces currently affecting the industry worldwide. Any period of change of this magnitude will present many opportunities for those who are adaptable. Many firms have integrated various disciplines to emerge as large, strong knowledge-based companies. Firms have expanded into a variety of consulting areas, widening their scope and professional competence. They are continuing to branch out into related consulting activities, such as the environmental sciences and software development. Nowhere is the challenge greater than in the need to address "Sustainable Development".

"Sustainability – the Challenge of the New Millennium", the theme of our conference is so appropriate for us. Consulting Engineers – the wealth creators for society – have a pivotal role to play worldwide in "Sustainability". We must strive to become the "Trusted Advisor" to our clients and to society. To earn this role, we have to gain the trust of others by demonstrating our commitment to the principles of sustainability. Often, this may require us to take unpopular decisions, but we must not shrink from the task. This also requires us to take a more active role in society and contribute to the formulation of positions and policy.

In our report on "Engineering the Future", FIDIC stated:

"Increasingly sustainability will become the most important criteria for project acceptability".

FIDIC has to provide leadership on this vital issue, and we are anxiously awaiting the deliberations of the next few days and the report of our Task Force on Sustainability to provide us with a Road Map;

Rolf Sägesser, the Chair, Berndt Kordes, Pierre Patry, Ike van der Putte, and Eigel Pedersen have brought us this far.

We, in the Executive Committee intend to assign a high priority to the implementation of their recommendations and to create a structure within FIDIC to effectively address this important topic on behalf of our members and our industry.

This cannot be only a short-term action-oriented approach, but most importantly must include significant attention to the long term institutional and thought changing process that will eventually lead us to a more balanced approach to the achievement of both sustainability and development.

In my 2^nd year as your President, I will be making this a personal priority. The challenge to incorporate "Sustainable Development Thinking" in the way we do business and to communicate this is one I accept.

We have some concerns as we approach this challenge:

• Global warming and pollution are a wake-up call for a change in the way we do business and what business we do.

• Humanity’s knowledge, science and technology have set us on a path that is not sustainable.

• We all fear some catastrophe may happen before we figure out where we are going and what we are doing.

• Sustainable development is just and righteous cause. We, in the consulting engineering industry, have to develop the cause and sell it to others as a "good business decision". Our participation in this is not a "cost", but an investment in our future, our business.

• We have to break out of the traditional model "take, make and waste" which draws on the energy, material and ecological resources under the assumption that they are "limitless".

• Currently, much of society’s efforts and our normal mandates are largely directed at finding cheaper ways to extract more resources, not on ways to recycle and use less.

• Sustainable development challenges us to develop new processes, make more use of recyclable materials, develop regenerative or recyclable output components.

In short, we have to adapt a Natural or Biological process that sustains itself.

Our paramount duty to protect public safety; health and the environment subordinates all the other issues. We have a social responsibility and have the role of an Environmental Caretaker, whether we want it or not.

Do we want to do what others determine and allocate to us, or do we want to be at the decision table providing our expertise where it can really add value. Will we step up to the plate and be part of the global solution? Or will we remain part of the problem with a narrow view of our assignments and of our obligations to society and to our profession?

FIDIC will demonstrate its leadership role on this globally important topic. Already, liaison with other partners is progressing. This makes good business sense as well.

Our conference "Sustainability" track will be successful if our delegates participate and become involved through the roundtable discussions. Please take every opportunity to do so!

Our TF21 Report "Engineering our Future" sets out the general road map for our industry. As the real "Wealth Creations" in society, we have a crucial role to play.

LET’S GET INVOLVED AND PLAY A PART !!

This year’s conference is the kick-off to a series of three conferences that will advance this debate and develop a profile and role for our consulting industry.

I look forward to the challenges that will come from our speakers and to the debate during our sessions. FIDIC welcomes this input, and I can assure you that we will work hard to incorporate your constructive input into our programs as we strive to address your business interests and Federation’s fundamental interests.