The Role of Engineers and Geoscientists in Corporate Governance

The session details the statutory responsibilities of directors, including potential personal liability for unpaid employee wages, environmental damage, tax defaults, and negligence, and emphasizes that for P.Eng./P.Geo. individuals, the obligation to protect the public and the environment is paramount and cannot be subordinated to corporate directives or the pursuit of shareholder value. The presentation provides practical advice for mitigating risk, such as recording formal dissents when decisions threaten public safety, ensuring technical matters are backed by qualified advice, and maintaining professional registration. P.Eng./P.Geo. board members are informed that their professional status does not disappear in the boardroom. They can face discipline for professional negligence or failure to meet ethical standards, even when acting as a corporate director.