This is an incredibly challenging time and members are rightly concerned about the health and economic crisis that has arisen from the global coronavirus pandemic. Our community of members includes professionals who are actively supporting the delivery of key services, working from home, furloughed or self-employed, and we are all having to quickly adapt to new working and social conditions.
We're committed to supporting you through the 'here and now', bringing together content on some of the key practical issues that are facing members. Whether it's the challenges being faced by the waste sector and their potential implications for businesses and households, the scheduling difficulties that are making it hard for organisations to maintain ISO 14001 accredited certification and adapt to remote audits, or the seasonal baseline ecological surveys for project EIAs that are being put on hold – our aim is to highlight the issues and the practical ways that members are addressing them.
We're also mindful that anxiety and stress levels will be heightened during this difficult time, and we're therefore adding some online sessions on mental health first aid as part of our broader set of support tools for members.
“One aspect of the crisis is that many people have a reinvigorated sense of community, seeking to help and support each other“
One important aspect of the crisis is that many people have a reinvigorated sense of community, seeking to help and support each other in a wide variety of ways. We've been keen for IEMA to support the positive feeling of a professional community for environment and sustainability practitioners, helping to connect people into networks of likeminded colleagues.
As we move through the crisis, thoughts inevitably turn to rebuilding the economy and creating the future we want – and sustainability and climate change need to be at the heart of the debate. We'll continue to make the case to the government and ensure our work with all the main trade bodies as part of the Broadway Initative is channelled towards putting sustainability at the heart of our future economic model.
