The Society for the Environment (SocEnv) has announced the winners of its annual awards, presented at a ceremony to celebrate the achievements of the environmental professional community at the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Burlington House on 4 June.
More than 8,000 environmental professionals meet the required standards to highlight their environmental and sustainability expertise as a chartered environmentalist (CEnv), registered environmental practitioner (REnvP) or registered environmental technician (REnvTech), but some warrant further recognition for going above and beyond and are commended through the SocEnv Awards.
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According to the society, a record number of entries were judged this year, which it said represents an incredible step forward and showcases the many outstanding environmental professionals working hard to protect, preserve or enhance the environment.
The 2024 Rising Star Award went to Abigail Hancock CEnv, head of environment and sustainability at Linbrooke Services, who is a Chartered Environmentalist with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).
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The 2024 Environmental Professional of the Year Award was won by Adrian Mill CEnv, managing director, ESS (Environmental and Social Sustainability) + Lion Rouge, who is a chartered environmentalist with the Institution of Environmental Sciences. The runner up was Zebrina Hanly CEnv, head of environment and climate change at the Royal Mail Group, who is a chartered environmentalist with IEMA.
‘With more than 8,000 registered environmental professionals around the world carrying out critical work, it’s always a pleasure to showcase extra-special achievements with our awards each year,’ said Emma Wilcox CEnv, SocEnv’s chief executive. ‘A huge congratulations to all those individuals honoured during this year’s awards and 20th anniversary event.’
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As well as announcing the 2024 SocEnv Awards winners, the event also included two panel discussions on SocEnv’s 20th anniversary and the 2024 World Environment Day theme.
The newest honorary fellow (HonFSE) was presented to Martin Baxter CEnv, deputy CEO at IEMA and a chartered environmentalist since 2004. Martin works in the UK and internationally to support the transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient and sustainable economy. He has worked in the sector for more than three decades and has a wide breadth to his engagement and impact encompassing standards, government, industry and the media. For all of these reasons and more, Martin is a deserving recipient of the honorary fellowship, the Society said.
During the event, SocEnv celebrated 20 years of the organisation and chartered environmentalist registration with a discussion panel that featured Peter Matthews HonFSE CEnv, Professor Carolyn Roberts CEnv, Professor Will Pope HonFSE CEnv and Emma Wilcox CEnv. These individuals have played pivotal roles in shaping SocEnv over the past two decades, the Society said, providing valuable insights and reflections on its journey so far, while also sharing their thoughts on the future of SocEnv and the environmental profession.
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Focusing on this year’s World Environment Day theme of ‘Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience’, Katie Medcalf CEnv shared her expertise on the impacts of climate change on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, while Jane Rickson CEnv discussed HS2 plans for optimising soil profiles for grasslands, a case study in SocEnv’s recently published Soils and Stones progress report and its calls to action on soil health and reuse. The panel also included discussions on water and resilient cities with leading experts Professor Ian Barker HonFSE CEnv and Will Arnold CEnv.
Information about how to become a chartered environmentalist (CEnv) or a registered environmental practitioner (REnvP) through the IED can be found here.