The IEMA Release the Results of the Environmental Practitioners' Salary Survey

The average earnings of an environmental professional have significantly increased by almost 10% over the past two years, outpacing the rest of the UK economy, announces a new report published today (8th October 2007). The much-anticipated results of the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA)'s Environmental Practitioners' Salary Survey show that the role of an environmental professional is increasingly growing in importance and recognition. The overall increase of 9.8% shows that the environmental industry and the profession continue to grow in strength.

The findings profile how far the environmental profession has progressed since 2005 when a similar survey was carried out. Such an evident increase of 9.8% in this sector of employment denotes that the profession has a new profile as an essential part of modern industry, particularly now that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) sits firmly on the mainstream business agenda.

The in-depth survey was administered by ERS Market Research in May of this year. Completed returns were received from over 2,750 Graduate, Affiliate, Associate, Full and Fellow respondents from the IEMA’s overall 11,800 membership. The survey covers the essential areas of an environmental practitioners’ work and personal profile including;

• Age
• Mean earnings
• Levels of responsibility
• Education, training and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
• Areas of work
• Perceptions of the profession
• Personal environmental behaviour

Other significant findings from the survey, indicated that the average annual wage for an Affiliate level member (the introductory level of membership with the IEMA) is at £37,814, up 14% from a similar survey carried out in 2005. The biggest age group (35%) of environmentalists in the UK are aged between 25 and 34 years and in terms of professional development, 84% of survey respondents noted that their employer offers financial support for their ongoing training, further demonstrating that businesses take the role of the environmental practitioner ever more seriously. The respondents also indicated that their dedication to the environment is reflected in their personal behaviour as 89% of respondents said they always make full use of recycling facilities but just 2% generate their own energy.

Martin Baxter, Deputy Chief Executive of the IEMA, says these results are indicative of how environmentalists are regarded in the workplace. “This survey highlights the wide diversity of work areas that people in the profession get involved in – evaluating the environmental impacts of new policies and projects; minimising pollution from industrial sites; ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations; evaluating product environmental impacts; etc.

“On another level, it shows that environmental practitioners are in demand from employers and that it’s a great sector to be engaged in, offering real opportunities to make a practical environmental difference and get paid for it!”

Chief Executive Russell Foster summarises the suggested trend of this survey’s results. “The results of this survey have confirmed that our profession, although still in its infancy, is now firmly on the map and that at this time when the environment – through the climate change debate – is on everybody’s lips, the timing and findings of such a survey could not be more relevant.”

IEMA Members can download a full copy of the Salary Survey by clicking: Full version

Non-IEMA members can purchase a copy of the full version by visiting Publications Shop