The IQ Coat of Arms
In 1958 the Coat of Arms was adopted by The Institute as its emblem.
The arms were a gift from the outgoing President, Hugh Symington, to mark the incorporation of the Institute as a limited liability company.
The ‘armorial bearings’ are meant to symbolize the origin, aims and scope of the Institute, and the three heraldic components of the coat of arms are the shield, the crest and the motto.
The octagonal stone tower on the shield is in the style of Caernarfon castle, the town of the Institute's birth. The two hammers or jads represent the ancient tools of the trade and the coronet in between is composed of wattle flowers to reflect the link with Australia and the trefoil, or shamrock, with Ireland.
On top of the helmet is the crest - a quarry face with green-topped overburden surmounted by the lion of Scotland and in its paws is the key which is recorded as symbolising knowledge and freedom, although it has been advised that it is also representative of the Institute's commitment to safety.
The motto ‘Terram Autem Filiis Hominum’ is a Latin translation of a passage taken from Psalm 115: ‘The fruits of the earth for the children of men’.
Following the creation of affiliated status for overseas sections in 1996, the Coat of Arms itself was registered by the IQ as a trademark both in the UK and also in the other countries where the IQ operates.