New IEMA steering group of young sustainability professionals introduces itself to the membership.
Environmentalists tend to talk a lot about their discipline. Most do so in the hope that others will eventually realise how dependent they are on the environment and change their behaviour to live sustainably. But we cannot wait. Brexit, climate change, species extinction and many of the other issues facing environmentalists are already happening.
In the face of a seemingly overwhelming list of challenges, there is an unprecedented and urgent need for action. Many experienced environment and sustainability practitioners are already making their mark and changing how their organisations operate.
To ensure young professionals can make their own powerful impact, IEMA has established a team that is unfazed by the challenges that lie ahead. Known as IEMA Futures, it comprises a group of students, graduates and young professionals who are working to fire imaginations and involve young people in transforming the world to sustainability.
The mission is to connect, empower and inform young sustainability professionals on their road to creating a sustainable future.
In the months ahead, the group will host events to recruit, welcome, engage and connect new student and graduate members. The aim is to support these new members in their first steps in the profession, giving them access to opportunities to develop their skills and connections to build successful careers. IEMA Futures will be at university freshers’ fairs, and organising webinars and arranging special talks from experienced environment and sustainability professionals on the skills they are looking for in graduate recruits.
IEMA Futures will also have a regular column in the environmentalist, where members will comment on current affairs and policy changes. It will also use this space to showcase the success stories of members who made the journey from ambitious student to inspiring young sustainability professional.
The IEMA Futures steering group
From left to right: George Crone, Katie Atherton, Jack Buckley, Natasha Yorke-Edgell, Ben Somers and Sophie Parsons
If you are under 24 and interested in a career in environment and sustainability or would like to be kept informed about the work of IEMA Futures, contact the group at:
Linkedin: IEMA Futures
Facebook: IEMA Futures
Twitter: @iemafutures
