Chartered Environmentalist Moves a Step Closer

Work to establish the new qualification, Chartered Environmentalist, has moved forward to the extent that, subject to approval from the Privy Council, the Society for the Environment (SocEnv) will be in a position to offer CEnv from early 2004.

Applicants for C.Env will be required to satisfy certain eligibility criteria, including full membership of one of the professional bodies that are members of the Society. For IEMA members, this will be the Full Member (MIEMA) level. In addition, candidates must be able to demonstrate that they have 12 units derived from a combination of academic study and practical experience. Each year of relevant formal learning will accrue two units, up to a maximum of eight units for each candidate. Relevant practical experience will accrue one unit for each year of experience. As such, someone with a relevant three-year undergraduate and one year masters degree, together with four years of relevant experience, will accrue the minimum 12 units. Similarly, someone with 12 years relevant experience will also accrue 12 units. There are also many other permutations between these two examples.

In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria, applicants will be required to participate in a face to face peer interview and prepare a written submission giving examples of their work and demonstrating how they meet the criteria for C.Env. Applicants will also be required to sign up and adhere to a code of professional practice. The professional bodies who are SocEnv members will be able to combine assessments for full membership of their relevant institution and C.Env, should they wish, and the IEMA’s Professional Standards Committee will consider this option later in the year.

Grandparent rights will be offered to all individuals who are full members of a SocEnv professional body on the vesting day (anticipated for 1January 2004). It is expected that this route of entry, which will be available for one year, will require individuals to demonstrate that they have accrued 12 units from formal learning and practical experience and to submit a short paper explaining how they meet the criteria for C.Env.

For further information on C.Env contact Martin Baxter at the IEMA.