Headlines from 2014 practitioner survey

IEMA provides the headline results of its latest practitioner survey, ahead of its launch next month

A total of 2,120 members responded to the 2014 IEMA practitioner survey. A full analysis of the results will be published as a special supplement in the March issue of the environmentalist, detailing up-to-date statistics on the environment and sustainability profession. Ahead of the full 2014 report, here are some key summary findings:

• Employment of IEMA members is at 96.7%, up 0.6% on the 2013 level.
• More IEMA members are self-employed, rising to 9.3% during 2013 from a low of 5.6% in 2011.
• 58.9% of members received some form of pay rise during 2013.
• Environment management – including working on environment management systems – is the most cited primary work area, with 20.6% of members primarily engaged in such activity. This is a change from both 2012 and 2013 when health, safety and environment management had been the most cited primary work area.
• Nearly all members’ roles involve working across multiple work areas, with only 16% reporting that they work exclusively in one area.
• Employer support for continuing professional development (CPD) is high among respondents, with 87.6% of those undertaking CPD during 2013 receiving financial support for such activities from their employer.
• Employer support for IEMA membership fees is also high, with 67% of employed members receiving funding for their membership.
• Respondents who consider themselves to be “career changers” – moving into the profession from another field of work – are more satisfied with their role than those who have always worked in an environment role; 77% of such practitioners report being satisfied or very satisfied compared with 66% for “non-changers”.