Case Study: Working in Business

Working in Business

Environmental issues involves all organisations in all sectors of industry. Environmental Management concerns the efficient monitoring and administration of environmental policies and standards, and is critical in meeting the agendas set out by Government. Additional to this, there are also cost-savings and resource efficiencies that can be achieved through effective environmental management.

The role of Environmental Management personnel in business typically involves environmental reporting, reconnaissance checks, producing company standards, communicating and training staff on policies and standards, and ensuring Duties of Care.

Typical job positions will include:

  • Environmental Manager
  • Environmental Advisor
  • Environmental Projects Co-ordinator
  • Environmental Co-ordinator
  • Environmental Assistant

For more senior positions, a thorough grounding in all of these roles, as well as a high level of knowledge of the associated issues, laws, legislation and practices, are usually expected by employers.

Being a http://www.iema.net/full of IEMA (MIEMA) will help demonstrate this.

The following profile of Greg Chant-Hall illustrates the typical day-to-role of an Environmental Manager and gives valuable advice for individuals looking for work in this area:

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Gregg Chant-Hall FIEMA CEnv, Environment & Sustainability Manager, Skanska.

Day-to-day roles in my current position
After a brief spell at HSBC looking after the sustainability of their property portfolio in 2005, I joined Skanska Construction as Environmental and Sustainability Manager. My day to day role co-ordinates the environmental and sustainability management of Skanska's public sector building programme. This includes bidding, design, procurement, construction and operation. I also manage a team consists of ten environmental professionals who lead on the implementation of a Strategic Environmental Plan on our various projects. No two days are the same but the key for me is to educate, influence and motivate our project teams at the earliest possible stage of our project work, to incorporate appropriate environmental and sustainability facets into our building projects at optimum cost.

How my CPD/IEMA membership has been beneficial to my career

IEMA membership provides instant recognition of your technical competence as an environmental professional. In a rapidly changing environment, particularly around the areas of legislation and technology, it's essential that I keep up to date with what's new and how it may affect Skanska's operations now and in future. To avoid duplication, individuals in my team take the lead in specific areas, both in terms of environmental and sustainability aspects, and our processes as a construction company.

Recommendations on getting into the industry

To enter the environmental management profession, particularly in the construction sector, there is a steep learning curve regarding the construction process and therefore the opportunities and risks associated. However, environmental and sustainability knowledge and skills are transferable between sectors, and many companies such as Skanska offer graduate training schemes, which include environmental roles.