Full membership changes take force

The application and interview processes for Full membership of IEMA changed on 1 April

The new route to achieving MIEMA status came into force at the same time as the standards and competences for Full membership fully aligned with those for Chartered environmentalist.

The new application and assessment processes have been streamlined to make registering and being interviewed for Full membership more accessible to more people. This will maximise uptake of this level of IEMA membership, while clarifying the skills and knowledge expected of a Full member.

Eligibility and competences

Revisions have been made to the eligibility criteria for a MIEMA. To qualify for Full membership, the applicant must:

  • be a member of IEMA (Affiliate membership is the minimum requirement);
  • have a relevant master’s degree or the ability to demonstrate the equivalent level of knowledge; and
  • have sufficient knowledge and practical experience to demonstrate how they meet the standard.

The revised Full member competences go into more details as to the requirements. Applicants must now:

  • be able to explain fundamental environment and sustainability principles, and their relationship with businesses and other organisations;
  • understand environment and sustainability strategies, policies and legislation, insofar as they relate to their area of professional activity;
  • be able to critically analyse, interpret and report environmental data to inform sustainable decision making and provide advice;
  • identify and analyse problems and opportunities from an environmental perspective to develop and deliver sustainable solutions;
  • use communication to drive effective environmental and sustainable business practices;
  • embed sustainable thinking in organisations insofar as it relates to their area of professional activity;
  • manage and deliver environmental improvements and resilience; and
  • educate, influence, persuade and challenge others to lead and promote sustainability.

Application

Along with the relevant application forms and declarations, when applying for Full membership applicants are now also required to submit:

  • a 2,000-word paper (previously one of 4,000 words were required);
  • their current CV; and
  • a copy of their MA or MSc certificate (where applicable) or a supplementary 500-word paper to demonstrate the equivalent level of knowledge.

Where applicants had previously been asked to supply a job description and demonstrate where their role was in their organisation, the 2,000-word paper, CV and MA/MSc certificate or supplementary paper, now give applicants ample opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and experience to the assessment panel ahead of their interview.

Peer assessment

Once an application has been processed, the applicant will be notified of their assessment date. This assessment involves an interview by two assessors via an online videoconference, lasting between 45 and 75 minutes, and will test the interviewee against both IEMA’s Full membership criteria and the Chartered environmentalist criteria.

The level of knowledge and experience needed to become a Full member is parallel to that required for Chartered environmentalist – that is, if an applicant can achieve the MIEMA criteria he or she should also meet the CEnv criteria. Successful applicants will be awarded MIEMA and subsequently offered CEnv status.

The interview length has been extended from 40–60 minutes to allow candidates sufficient time to demonstrate how they meet the competences required. The interviews now take place via online teleconference as standard; the option to request a face-to-face interview is still open to applicants, but availability is limited to scheduled dates and will be subject to a surcharge.

This method ensures that anyone with an internet connection can attend their assessment from wherever they are in the world, and will save a collective 25,000 miles of travel a year by assessors and candidates.

To find out more about Full membership, go to iema.net/membership-full or call a member of the IEMA team on +44 (0)1522 540069. Full details on the new application process and support materials are available at iema.net/membership-dual-support.

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