Annual Report 2008
Welcome to the Annual Report 2008 of The Geological Society of London
From 2008 onwards the Annual Reports of the Society will be available in full online, and an abbreviated version will be printed and distributed to Fellows with the May issue of the Fellowship magazine Geoscientist. This distribution takes place one month ahead of the Annual General meeting, which is held in June each year on President's Day.
Please click on the appropriate sections (to the left) to read the report's content online, including the reports from the Society's Specialist and Regional Groups, Commissions, and the Annual Report from 2007.
- Read the Online Obituaries for 2008
- Download the Annual Review 2008 (.pdf4326 Kb)
- Download the Full Audited Accounts (.pdf424 Kb)
Annual Report 2008
President: Prof Lynne Frostick
Vice Presidents:
- Dr Iain Bartholomew
- Prof Martin Culshaw
Secretaries:
- Prof Edward Derbyshire (Foreign & External Affairs)
- Prof Andrew Fleet (Treasurer)
- Prof David Manning (Professional)
- Dr Nick Rogers (Publications)
- Prof Tony Watts (Science)
The Council submits its annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2008. The report of the Council incorporates the legal and administrative details on this and the following pages and the reports of the President, the Executive Secretary and the Treasurer.
Financial Review
The Financial Statements and Report of the Council have been prepared in accordance with the Bye-Laws of the Society, the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities and complies with applicable law. A review of the financial highlights of the year is set out in the report of the Treasurer.
Investment Policy and Performance
In accordance with the Bye-Laws of the Society, the Treasurer ensures the proper management of the Society’s real estate, investments and funds on deposit. This is achieved through the actions of an Investment Panel, in conjunction with the Society’s Investment Managers. The policies of the Investment Panel are to ensure the delivery of a budgeted level of income in each year and to continue the prudent investment policies of the Society. Further details of performance are contained within the Treasurer’s Report.
Reserves Policy
To undertake the continued development and reinvestment in the Society's publishing, educational and other activities, and to hold a contingency sum in respect of the significant redecoration costs that the Society is obliged to meet, in the light of the lease with our landlord, the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) at Burlington House. The Society considers its free reserve sufficiency to be in the order of £1,000,000, which would be required to meet its short term operational requirements as well as to provide some contingency in any temporary shortfalls of income. Free reserves, as defined by the Charity Commission, at 31 December 2008 stood at £1,155,064 (2007: £1,385,569).
Risk Management
The Trustees actively review the major risks which the charity faces on a regular basis and believe that maintaining free reserves at the levels stated above, combined with annual review of the controls over key financial systems provide sufficient resources in the event of adverse conditions. The Trustees have also examined other operational and business risks faced and confirm that they have identified actions and established systems to mitigate the significant risks.
Charitable Objectives
The Object of the Society as set out in its Charter is “to investigate the mineral structure of the Earth” which is interpreted to mean
- improving knowledge and understanding of the history, structure, constitution and dynamics of the Earth and its process;
- promoting all forms of education, awareness and understanding of the Earth and their practical applications for the benefit of the public globally; and
- promoting professional excellence and ethical standards in the Earth sciences for the public good.
In meeting this Object the Society provides public benefit by advancing Earth sciences education at all levels, and by promoting knowledge of the Earth and professional standards so as to advance environmental protection and improvement and human health, and to guard against natural hazards.
Specifically the Society provides:
Induction into the profession through Candidate Fellowship
During 2008, by supporting 390 undergraduates to become professional geologists at low subsidised cost.
Chartered status (CGeol, CSci, Eur Geol)
During 2008, 31 Fellows were awarded CGeol status bringing the total to 2,147. By encouraging continuing professional development, controlling entry standards and monitoring chartered status, the Society assures the quality of professional work in the geosciences for the public good.
Representing the science
By acting as the UK voice in representing the geosciences and their application.
Media contacts
By linking to the media and providing authoritative information and contacts.
External relations
By responding actively to requests for information or comment from government, opinion formers and the public as exemplified by the submission to CORWM (Committee on Radio Active Waste Management).
Education
By working with others to set standards to improve the quality of education in the geosciences at all levels, and by developing teaching resources. During the year the Society made progress in developing an online primer at KS 3 level to be launched in May 2008; and accredited 30 undergraduate programmes bringing the number to 132, and introduced a scheme for the accreditation of taught MSc courses. The Society also funded some £15k in research grants and provided financial support for fieldwork.
Library
By maintaining a nationally important collection of geological maps, books and journals which is open to the public at a subsidised rate; and by launching in May 2007 a complete online catalogue with a GIS interface to index level data for its map holdings
Website
By hosting a diverse range of electronic geological content with links to other significant websites, which is free to use. A new website was launched in 2007 built to meet international standards for disability access.
Journals and books
By publishing four of its own journals and four journals on behalf of other learned societies as well as 27 books, which are an important resource of information for geoscientists the world over, and are widely available in libraries. The recent creation of GeoScienceWorld (an electronic aggregate of many learned societies’ journals) has allowed direct access to journals through the Web. The Lyell Collection provides an online portal to most of the books and journals ever published by the Society.
Scientific meetings
The Society held a number of Flagship meetings during the year:-
Lyell meeting 2008 - Marine climate and change: past and future (all day event with a number of speakers)
William Smith meeting 2008 - Studying past and present sea-level changes to make more confident future predictions of future changes (Jerry Mitrovica, University of Toronto)
The De Beers Group sponsored a one day event -
- Carbon: the deep geological cycle and its effect on the air we breathe followed by a lecture Ghosts of continents past, diamond mines of the future (Hielke Jelsma, De Beers)
The Society hosted two Burlington House Lectures -
- Archbishop Ussher and the Age of the Earth (Prof Graham Parry, University of York and Dr Patrick Wyse-Jackson (Trinity College Dublin)
- Under the volcano – Sir William Hamilton and Mt Vesuvius (Dr Chris Kilburn, University College London and Dr Jill Cook, British Museum)
The Mapping Mountains exhibition was held at the Society from 6 – 29 February with three lectures given on the first day:- Secret of the Highlands – 19th Century scientific discovery and why it is still important today (Bob Butler, University of Aberdeen); Lines of Enquiry – The art of geology and science communication (Kate Foster, Artist in Residence, University of Glasgow); Geological mapping and its 21st century importance (Alan Gibbs, Midland Valley Exploration)
In addition the Society organizes about one hundred scientific meetings annually, of which about 80% are held outside London. These meetings are open to all. The Society assists in meeting the costs of student attendees at some scientific meetings and field excursions.
Council
The members of the Council - trustees of the charity - during the year were:
*Prof P A Allen7; Dr I D Bartholomew1,2,4; Mr A M Carbray3,5; ~Mr G T Cayley7 ; Prof M G Culshaw1,4,5; *Dr M Daly2; Prof E Derbyshire1,2,4; Prof A J Fleet1,3,4,6 ; ~Dr R A Fortey1,4 ; Prof C M R Fowler2; Prof L E Frostick1,4; ~Prof P Henderson1,4 ; *Dr R Herrington7; Prof R E Holdsworth6 ; *Dr A Law4, 5; *Prof A Lord2, 7; *Prof J Ludden2; *Prof D A C Manning1,4,5; Prof J D Marshall6; Dr M O Rivett5, 6; Dr N W Rogers1,3,4,6; ~Mr D T Shilston1,4,5; Mr G Tuckwell1,3,5; *Dr J P Turner6; ~Mrs J H E Turner5; ~Prof J A Underhill2; ~Dr E Valsami-Jones7; Prof A B Watts1, 4,7; Prof R S White1,2; Dr R A W Wood7
* New members elected at the AGM on 4 June 2008
~ Council members who retired at the AGM 4 June 2008
Membership of the Standing Committees
1 Elections; 2 External Relations; 3 Information Management; 4 Management and Finance; 5 Professional; 6 Publications; 7 Science.
Method of Election of Trustees
Trustees are elected by the Fellowship in Annual General Meeting by ballot of Fellows present on a list of candidates. New trustees are annually invited to an induction day in order to obtain an understanding of the Society’s affairs and what tasks they will undertake as a member of Council. They also receive written guidance on their responsibilities as trustees.
Audit Panel
The Audit Panel reports directly to Council. Members of the Audit Panel are: Prof J C W Cope, Mr D Fenwick, Prof A J Fleet, Prof J D Mather, Prof D G Murchison, Mr M H Pattison, Dr R Stabbins (Chair).
Legal and Administrative Information
Object of the Society
The Geological Society of London was instituted in 1807 for the purpose of investigating the mineral structure of the Earth.
Governing Instrument
The Society was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1825, amended by a Supplemental Charter in 2005.
On 3 May 2000, the Fellows of the Society in General Meeting approved and adopted revised Bye-Laws to govern the future activities of the Society.
Bankers
Coutts & Co, 440 Strand, London, WC2R OQS
Solicitors
Bristows, 3 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3AA
Auditors
BDO Stoy Hayward LLP, Emerald House, East Street, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 1HS
Investment Advisers
UBS Wealth Management, 1 Curzon Street, London W1J 5UB
Head Office
Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BG
Registered Charity Number
210161
Office Hours
09.30 - 17.30 Monday to Friday
- Editing: Ted Nield
Corporate Affiliates of the Geological Society of London
The Society extends its sincere thanks to all its Corporate Affiliates.
Afren plc; Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (UK); Anglo American Plc; ATP Oil & Gas (UK) Ltd; BG Group Plc; Bow Valley Petroleum (UK) Ltd; BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd; BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd; C & C Reservoirs Ltd; Centrica plc; CGG Veritas; Chevron North Sea Limited; CNR International (UK) Ltd; ConocoPhillips (UK) Ltd; Desire Petroleum Plc; Dong E&P (UK) Ltd; ENI UK Ltd ; EOG Resources United Kingdom Ltd; E.ON Ruhrgas UK ; Equipoise Solutions Ltd; ExxonMobil International Ltd; Fairfield Energy Ltd; Furgro Robertson Ltd; Fugro NPA; Gaffney Cline & Associates Ltd; GWP Consultants; GETECH; Hannon Westwood Associates; Hardy Oil & Gas Plc; Helix EGS; Hess Ltd; HSBC Insurance Brokers Ltd; Ikon Science Ltd; Jefferies Randall & Dewey Ltd; Lafarge Aggregates Ltd; Landmark Eame Ltd; Lynx Information Systems Ltd; Maersk Oil North Sea Ltd; Marathon Oil UK Ltd; Marubeni Oil & Gas UK Ltd; MND Exploration & Production Ltd; Nautical Petroleum Plc; Neftex Petroleum Consultants; Nexen Petroleum U.K. Limited ; Noble Energy (Europe) Limited ; NDA; OMV (UK) Ltd; Ophir Energy Company Limited; Paras Consulting; Petro-Canada UK Ltd; Petrofac Energy Developments Ltd; PGS Exploration Ltd; Premier Oil Plc; Ramboll Whitbybird ; Rio Tinto Mining & Exploration Ltd; Rock Deformation Research Ltd; RWE Dea UK Ltd; Samson North Sea Ltd; Schlumberger Evaluation & Production Services Ltd; Senergy Ltd; Shell UK Exploration & Production Ltd; Statoil (UK) Ltd; Sterling Energy UK Ltd; Talisman Energy (UK) Ltd; Total E&P UK Ltd; Tullow Oil Plc; "Valiant Petroleum ; Ltd"; Venture Production plc.
Acknowledgement
In addition to the companies listed here, the Society wishes to record its sincere thanks to all the companies, universities and other organisations that allowed their staff the time and resources to participate in voluntary Society activities.