PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The DFI and Self-Determination A s I write this message, in early June, I feel the overbearing weight of the events of the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. As our freedoms are eroded by the demands of social distancing, and we search within our communities for the meaning of society, I am led to further reflection on the self and on self-determination. Our places of employment, the associations in which we are active (DFI, community sports or arts organisations), our families and our communities are collections of like-minded people that are shaped by the behaviour and beliefs of the individuals that make them up. In many cases, we are the leaders within these communities: as senior members of staff, as active participants or by virtue of being a parent. be free. This means that suc- cessful self-determination comes both from within, and from society, which must offer a free and achievable (equally available to all) venue for such expression. Of course, freedom comes with responsibility. We are obliged to exercise and cherish our freedom, but we are equally obliged to respect the freedom of others. At DFI, we are determined [email protected] Matthew Janes, M.B.A., P.Eng. President As ... we search within our communities for the meaning of society, I am led to further reflection on the self and on self-determination. It is we who shape the activities and influence the direction and the emphasis of the energy and outcomes. It is we who shape the education, character and moral beliefs of our children. As such, are we succeeding in creating a community in which members are, or believe they are, free and self-determined? As I discussed earlier in 2020 in this column, self-determination is, in many ways, freedom. To be self-determined is to possess the means to follow a desire, a thought, a path without impediment … to as an institute to find common ground within our industry. We exercise the resolve and discipline to bring together all stakeholders and provide them with a forum in which their voices will be heard. Many of their views and voices are divergent and represent opposing means to achieve a satisfactory goal. But through communication and understanding, our community can achieve our goal and f ind common ground regarding ways to address shared information needs and challenges. In this open community, we achieve advancement of best practices, drive innovation, welcome young members and share with the rest of the world. We uphold this credo for every DFI member and every worker that steps onto a construction site to help build the foun- dations of our society. We would be remiss in our mandate if we did not vocally extend this credo to all members of our com- munity, their families and society as a whole. Some of the tools that [DFI uses] to gain common ground include the conferences we host, our website and the varied publications we produce. Some of the tools that we use to gain common ground include the conferences we host, our website and the varied publications we produce. Through these vehicles, leading ideas and opinions are presented for review, discussion and most importantly, for questioning. We do not restrict entry or authorship and welcome all points of view and sources. DFI does vet submissions to ensure facts are current, content is valid and opinions are nonpar- tisan. Is this censorship, or does it ensure trust? I am proud to say it is our members who determine our policies, populate the technical review boards and, together, create the forum for this consistently open discussion. Our goal is to ensure that members receive content of quality and relevance and that a high standard will always be met. We believe this is how we ensure our credo of common ground flourishes. Credo comes from the Latin “I believe.” Let us never stop believing, and never stop striving, personally and as an organisation, to forge truly common ground. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • JULY/AUG 2020 • 7
