The British Cartographic Society (BCS) is an association of individuals and organisations dedicated to exploring and developing the world of maps.

With further contributions from the Institution of Professional Civil Servants, the aims of the new Society were agreed and Brigadier Thackwell was elected as the first president.

Since then, the Society has become firmly established both nationally and internationally and has developed to meet the challenges of new technology such as GIS and the internet.

The Society's flagship event is its annual conference (Symposium) which brings together members and those working in the industry to network and discuss good practice and developments in the field.

The Society supports cartographic education through its Restless Earth programme which brings awareness of mapping into schools through an interactive problem-solving workshop based on natural hazards as featured in the National Curriculum, currently the Japanese earthquake and tsunami of 2011.

As of 2021, the following are active: One of the aims of the Society is to encourage better mapping by providing prizes and awards to individuals or companies who have shown excellence in this field.