Andrew Whitehorn becomes IEMA Fellow

Andrew Whitehorn, head of sustainable business at waste management firm Viridor, has joined the ranks of IEMA Fellows. Whitehorn joins 51 other Fellows at the top of the Institute's membership ladder

FIEMA status is awarded to members who have used their leadership skills to accomplish substantial achievements in the fields of environment management, assessment and sustainability.

With an impressive CV of qualifications, including an MBA and two professional charterships, and a wide range of practical and leadership skills, Whitehorn is a good example of an IEMA Fellow.

His varied career has taken him from service with the Grenadier Guards, which included operational tours and postings in Africa, Europe and the US, and an expedition to the Himalayas, to the financial services sector, before moving into an environment role in 2001.

Throughout his 13 years at Viridor, which is part of the Pennon Group and one of the UK’s leading recycling, renewable energy and waste management companies, Whitehorn has progressed through technical and supervisory roles with environment responsibilities for landfill sites and pollution to a variety of management roles.

He has headed aftercare management and regulatory compliance and risk for key projects, and also led the Pennon Group’s compliance with the carbon reduction commitment scheme and the Carbon Disclosure Project before being promoted to his present position in 2011.

Describing his role as “a primary agent for change”, Whitehorn has overall responsibility for the development and delivery of the company’s sustainability initiatives, such as its sustainability and resilience strategy and its procurement policy.

Whitehorn received his Fellow status in January. He said: “Being able to say that I’m a Fellow member of IEMA is an incredible feeling; it’s really a very proud moment for me. Given that my career history is so varied I think that everything I’ve accomplished and learned – both formally through study and informally through vocational leadership experience – has helped me achieve FIEMA.”

IEMA’s chief executive, Tim Balcon, congratulated Whitehorn, saying: “I’m delighted to welcome him into IEMA’s small, yet incredibly influential group of Fellows.”