Organisation Membership: Stantec

Stantec is a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture and environmental consulting.

For the company’s Development Economics team, Organisation Membership of the Institute of Economic Development (iED) therefore provides more than access to events and networking opportunities. It offers a professional home for a discipline that often sits across multiple sectors, backgrounds and specialisms.

Stantec’s Development Economics team includes a nationwide offering with around 25 team members benefiting from iED membership through the organisation’s membership package.

Based out of Stantec’s Manchester office, Gareth Brown, Director, Development Economics, has a connection with the iED stretching back around two decades. “I’ve personally been involved for around 20 years,” he explained. “I used to work at the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, and I remember there being discussions about the relationship with the iED back in the mid-2000s. After that, I moved to another interdisciplinary consultancy, where I was also a member and attended conferences. I’ve always felt it is important to be part of an organisation that represents the industry.”

One of the key benefits of Organisation Membership, according to Gareth, is the role the iED plays in strengthening the identity and visibility of economic development as a profession. “We work in a multidisciplinary environment alongside planners, acousticians, environmental consultants, engineers, and other specialists,” he said. “Many of those professions have chartered status or professional institutes. We don’t really have an equivalent, so the iED is the closest thing we have.

“Being members demonstrates that we’re active within the profession. We include it on our CVs and in bid submissions, for example. I have worked in local authority economic development, and historically it could feel like a bit of a Cinderella service. So having an organisation representing the profession is valuable.”

The diversity of backgrounds within the profession makes this representation particularly important. “Our team includes planners, geographers, economists and people from finance backgrounds. Economic development isn’t always an obvious career path, so having a professional body that champions the sector helps reinforce that it is a profession in its own right,” Gareth added.

Having the opportunity to attend the iED Annual Conference is one of the most valuable aspects of membership for members of the Stantec team.

“We rotate conference attendance among the team,” Gareth commented. “With many team members, it’s the only economic development conference they attend all year. In a consultancy environment where utilisation targets and client work can dominate diaries, the opportunity to engage with peers is particularly valuable. It gives us an opportunity to hear what others are doing, discuss challenges, solutions, and share experiences.”

For Economist Bren Walters, who has been an iED member for almost three years, the conference offers something that can be difficult to find elsewhere. “Because we’re part of a multidisciplinary company, we’re constantly interacting with planners, transport planners and other specialists,” he revealed. “The conference is one of the few opportunities to spend time with people working specifically in economic development. That’s really valuable.”

Much of Bren’s engagement with the iED has been through the Early Career Network and mentoring programme. “I’ve been actively involved for around 18 months,” he explained. “I’ve attended expert talks, social gatherings in the North-West, and I’ve participated in the mentoring programme over the past year.”

The mentoring programme has been particularly beneficial. Bren has been mentored by Jonathan Guest, Director at AMION Consulting, meeting regularly to discuss professional development and career progression. “We have explored career goals, progression opportunities, areas I want to develop, and he’s recommended some useful training courses. It’s also been helpful hearing about his own career and getting an additional perspective.  Overall, it’s been really useful,” Bren said.

Gareth believes the value of mentoring lies partly in providing perspectives that organisations cannot always offer internally. “While we can offer mentoring internally, external mentoring is often more valuable because the mentor understands the specific challenges of working in economic development,” he revealed, before sharing. “One of our biggest challenges internally is explaining what we actually do. People think they understand economic development, but often they don’t. Being able to speak with someone in another organisation who understands the profession is really valuable.”

Looking at the iED today, Stantec sees an organisation that has grown significantly in profile and influence.

Gareth said: “The iED has a much stronger profile now than it did in the late 2000s. I’m more aware of the organisation, the board members and the work being done. I know several people involved and regularly see iED activity on LinkedIn. The Westminster events, parliamentary receptions and policy work are particularly valuable as they raise the profile of economic development. I’d like to see the iED continue to be a strong advocate for the sector.”

The value of organisational membership ultimately extends beyond professional visibility, he added. “We’re keen to become even more involved. It’s not just about promoting ourselves. The learning opportunities, networking, mentoring and professional development are all valuable. The platforms around articles, webinars and Excellence in Economic Development are particularly interesting because they support something we’re actively trying to improve. I’d like the whole team to benefit from those opportunities.”

Case study developed: July 2026