Our global vision
Civil engineers at the heart of society, delivering sustainable development through knowledge, skills and professional expertise.
Our core values
Trust and honesty, ethical behaviour and integrity, high standards, quality and professionalism.
Our core purpose
- To develop and qualify professionals engaged in civil engineering.
- To exchange knowledge and best practice for the creation of a sustainable natural and built environment.
- To promote our contribution to society worldwide.
We achieve our core purpose by focusing on the following strategic areas:
Broad and inclusive membership
We aim to be the professional civil engineering qualification of choice.
Knowledge transfer
We aim to provide a high quality knowledge network to meet customer knowledge needs, lead engineering thinking, and benefit society.
Public voice
We want ICE to be recognised by key stakeholders and its members as the independent voice of infrastructure.
We deliver this through:
Customer focus
We want every member and customer to be highly satisfied with their experience every time they come into contact with ICE Group (ICE and Thomas Telford Ltd)
Business like approach
We have a clear strategic direction and business planning cycle, with effective financial, project and risk management processes.
Investing in our people (active members)
We strive to be vibrant, well governed, respected and influential. ICE is effectively and efficiently run by its active members with support from our employees.
Investing in our people (employees)
We develop our employees so our objectives are delivered with passion.
Read more about ICE’s business plan for 2010 – 2015
Definition of Civil Engineering (in accordance with By-law 1(3))
The Royal Charter contains the original Thomas Tredgold definition of civil engineering. Whilst that text in the current Charter remains unchanged, definitions of civil engineering have evolved over the years to articulate the concept in contemporary terms and reflect changes in language, technology and the profession itself. The following definition was adopted by Council in October 2007:
'Civil Engineering is a vital art, working with the great sources of power in nature for the wealth and well-being of the whole of society. Its essential feature is the exercise of imagination to engineer the products and processes, and develop the people needed to create and maintain a sustainable natural and built environment. It requires a broad understanding of scientific principles, a knowledge of materials and the art of analysis and synthesis. It also requires research, team working, leadership and business skills. A civil engineer is one who practises all or part of this art.'