My career: Martin Bigg

4th November 2014


Related Topics

Related tags

  • Training ,
  • CPD ,
  • Qualifications

Author

David Symons

Professor of environmental technologies innovation, University of the West of England

Why did you become an environment professional?

I have always been interested in the environment around us, our relationship with it and our responsibilities to it. Collecting newspaper, claiming the deposit on bottles, composting, cycling everywhere – these things were normal when I was at school. At university, as part of a chemistry degree, I studied environmental chemistry and researched wastewater. The limits to growth, a report for the Club of Rome, introduced me to the issues of sustainability. I had started to become green before I recognised it.

What was your first environment job?

After university, I was keen to apply my skills in the real world. My first job as a works chemist gave me responsibilities for people, plants and pollution.

How did you get your first role?

My interests in environmental standards, regulation and control developed with my career in the chemical industry. Responsibilities for various agrochemical and pharmaceutical plants honed my knowledge and skills in hazard analysis and assessment of environmental performance. Working with the regulators after a serious incident encouraged me to become a pollution inspector.

How did you progress your environment career?

In the Inspectorate of Pollution, I was fortunate to gain experience of regulating a wide range of processes before being asked to establish the pollution regulation regime for local authorities. This gave me an insight into very different industries, standards and ways of regulation. I spent time in and with government departments, trying to reconcile the politics of the day with the needs of industry and the environment. My drive was the integration and simplification of regulation and inspection. My commitment to open reporting of emissions was reflected in the introduction of the pollution inventory. At the Environment Agency, I maintained the momentum for the development of wider pollution prevention regulation.

What does your current role involve?

As professor of environmental technologies innovation, I teach and support research on environmental technology. I’m also director of the environmental technologies innovation network (iNet), leading a £2.4 million joint programme across several European universities. My IEMA roles involve providing strategic direction.

How has your role changed over the past few years?

The changes to my role reflect the wider changes to protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development. I have moved from a strict directional approach in industry and working as a traditional regulator to adopting a more collaborative approach, working in partnership as a regulator and academic.

What’s the best and hardest part of your work?

I love working with such a diverse range of committed individuals and organisations. Finding time and prioritising everything that I want to do is the hardest part. Sometimes I have to accept that I am not going to achieve an environmental commitment or change despite my best endeavours.

What was the last training you attended?

In the past week, I have learnt about flood risk resilience planning, cemeteries and crematoria, education for sustainable development, low carbon business opportunities and evaluating environmental performance.

What did you bring back to your job?

I share my learning, passion and enthusiasm with everyone.

What are the most important skills for your role and why?

I believe that it is important to have and be able to share a vision, objectives and principles. It is also important to look at issues from other perspectives.

Where do you see the profession going?

I would like to see it learning from the challenges and growing in self-confidence and respect. In particular, I would like to see it become a mainstream profession sitting comfortably alongside other professions, such as accountancy or engineering. My ambition is that the capabilities and competencies of the profession are embedded in the core skills requirements of most businesses and other organisations.

Where would like to be in five years’ time?

Making a difference and securing a sustainable future.

What advice would you give to someone entering the profession?

Go for it, give it the most, make the most of it and enjoy. You owe it to the future.


Career file

BSc MSc PhD FRSC FIEMA CEnv CChem CSci

Career history:

Now professor at University of the West of England; chair of IEMA council and board member; project lead, World Bank and International Finance Corporation

1996–2011 Environment Agency, including head of industry and waste regulation, head of industry regulation and national policy manager

1990–1996 head of integrated environmental management, Inspectorate of Pollution

1988–1990 head of local authority unit, Department for the Environment

1987–1988 principal pollution inspector, Inspectorate of Pollution

1985–1987 manager, Fine Organics

1980–1985 chemist, May and Baker

Subscribe

Subscribe to IEMA's newsletters to receive timely articles, expert opinions, event announcements, and much more, directly in your inbox.


Transform articles

Taking the lead

To make real change on sustainability, it’s time to redefine leadership models, writes Chris Seekings

1st February 2024

Read more

Caris Graham (she/her) is Diverse Sustainability Initiative officer at IEMA

1st February 2024

Read more

Lisa Pool reflects on the highlights of the past year and what they mean for the future

1st February 2024

Read more

The percentage of women working in the built environment sector rose significantly last year although people from ethnic minorities find it up to six times harder to be recruited, according to a major survey.

17th January 2024

Read more

IEMA’s CEO and deputy CEO, Sarah Mukherjee MBE and Martin Baxter, respectively, called for greater support for green skills at several events today on Youth, Children, Education and Skills Day at COP28.

8th December 2023

Read more

A look at the latest edition of Stephen Asbury’s IEMA-endorsed book, Health and Safety, Environment and Quality Audits, and the CPD opportunities it presents

28th November 2023

Read more

Media enquires

Looking for an expert to speak at an event or comment on an item in the news?

Find an expert

IEMA Cookie Notice

Clicking the ‘Accept all’ button means you are accepting analytics and third-party cookies. Our website uses necessary cookies which are required in order to make our website work. In addition to these, we use analytics and third-party cookies to optimise site functionality and give you the best possible experience. To control which cookies are set, click ‘Settings’. To learn more about cookies, how we use them on our website and how to change your cookie settings please view our cookie policy.

Manage cookie settings

Our use of cookies

You can learn more detailed information in our cookie policy.

Some cookies are essential, but non-essential cookies help us to improve the experience on our site by providing insights into how the site is being used. To maintain privacy management, this relies on cookie identifiers. Resetting or deleting your browser cookies will reset these preferences.

Essential cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website.

Analytics cookies

These cookies allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors to our website and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works.

Advertising cookies

These cookies allow us to tailor advertising to you based on your interests. If you do not accept these cookies, you will still see adverts, but these will be more generic.

Save and close