Adviser in standards and certification, site-based regulation team, Environment Agency
Why did you become an environment/ sustainability professional?
In the mid-1970s, I went on a school field-course to measure polluted water near a local oil refinery. Then I read Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. These propelled me into voluntary conservation work and a career measuring pollution.
What was your first environment/sustainability job?
I worked in a US group investigating forest decline. I developed methods to measure CO2 uptake and the impacts of pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide and low-level ozone. The group’s work contributed to new laws in air-pollution control.
How did you get your first role?
I wanted to work abroad so my PhD supervisor put me in touch with some research leaders in the US. Three of them were visiting the UK and coincidentally came to my university on the same day I gave a presentation.
How did you progress your environment/sustainability career?
In two ways: I moved from measuring impacts to dealing with the sources of pollution; and I learned to foresee game-changers and adapt to them, adding to my skills. For example, I saw that environmental impact assessment, management systems and auditing would become important. When climate change was becoming mainstream, I had already been working on carbon-capture projects. I now think that the circular economy and green bonds will become major issues.
What does your current role involve?
Mainly giving advice on monitoring. This gets me into lots of things, like site work, permitting, developing and applying standards, certification and accreditation, problem solving, emissions trading, training and auditing.
How has your role changed over the past few years?
Greater variety and more responsibility: for example, in certification scheme management, permitting and strategic regulation. Recently, I have been working on monitoring potential releases from circular economy processes.
What’s the best part of your work?
Apart from my colleagues, who are a dedicated and inspiring group, I relish the site-based work. I apply what I know, working constructively with industry and seeing pollution fall.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
Environmental ‘triage’.
What was the last training course you attended?
A CQI distance-learning course on models for quality management systems.
What did you bring back to your job?
Automotive and aerospace quality-standards require tools like statistical process control and traceability management. I now use such techniques to verify monitoring data.
What is/are the most important skill(s) for your role and why?
Communicating and influencing: we need to help others understand what is needed and then persuade them to do it willingly.
Where do you see the environment/sustainability profession going?
As a foundation for all activities. I have seen the environment go from a research and fringe activity to an added-extra and now an embedded, non-negotiable element of operating.
Where would like to be in five years’ time?
Spending more time passing on my experience to others. I would also like to contribute further to work in the circular economy and economic instruments.
What advice would you give to someone entering the profession?
Working on being outstanding in at least one particular field and add complementary skills. Then apply these abilities in as many areas as you can. Never stop learning.
How do you use IEMA’s environmental skills map?
For my own continuing professional development. I am an IEMA mentor, so I use it with those I mentor. I also recommend it to local students on an MSc course, where I do some training in auditing.
Career file
Qualifications:
CEnv, MIEMA, CSi, MIinstMC, MISTC, BSc, PhD, DipFM (ACCA); principal environmental auditor
Career history:
1999 to date Environment Agency
1998-99 environmental specialist/assessor, British Standards Institution
1990-98 environmental consultant, various consultancies
1989-90 researcher, Swedish Environmental Research Institute
1986-88 researcher, US Department of Agriculture and US Environment Protection Agency
