The Institution is relaunching the
Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) designation and giving Chartered members who want to set themselves apart as being specialists in environmental issues the opportunity to apply.
The sustainability and environmental challenges the world faces today mean that the role of the Chartered Environmentalist is more important than ever.
Registration sets
Chartered Environmentalists apart from peers. It proves they have gained knowledge and experience in the field of sustainable environmental management and development. It also shows they have a commitment to professional standards, and enhances their career prospects.
Chartered Environmentalists work across industry, government, education and the public sector. They share a commitment to environmental best practice and high levels of expertise in their field.
The Institution is licensed by the Society for the Environment to award Chartered Environmentalist status to members who meet the standards set by the society.
Chartered Environmentalist Matthew Waterhouse FIMechE worked for more than 30 years at Rolls-Royce and Bentley in Crewe, in areas including engine management and emissions control. He gained his CEnv qualification at this time, having realised the wealth of environmental experience he had accrued in his career.
Waterhouse says becoming CEnv has added credibility to his engineering skills. As an independent consultant in the automotive industry, he has worked all over the world. Waterhouse serves on the Institution’s Professional Review Committee, reviewing applications for membership, and particularly for CEnv.
“Many mechanical engineers have more environmental experience than they think,” he explains. Within the automotive field, relevant experience might include reducing emissions or fuel consumption, which is clearly environmentally relevant. But most industries are looking to use fewer raw materials, identify those that require less energy in their manufacture, or are sourcing local products to reduce transport costs. As part of their routine jobs, most engineers will almost certainly be taking the environment into consideration in one form or another.
Waterhouse says that professional registration as a
Chartered Environmentalist can enhance your career prospects: “For mechanical engineers who have environmental, sustainability or energy-efficiency experience, the CEnv designation is a way of getting that experience noticed. It will potentially open doors, especially for those wanting to change direction with their career. And, as the number of engineers with the qualification increases, it demonstrates how the Institution is reflecting the changes in society.”
Julie Winnard CEng MIMechE CEnv is a design engineer. While working in the automotive sector, she completed an engineering doctorate (EngD) in Sustainability for Engineering and Energy Systems (at Surrey). Increasingly, Winnard looked to pursue her interest in the environment and in social aspects of engineering and business.
She says: “I spent 10 years trying to move from automotive into a more sustainable sector, such as renewable energy. I was always pipped at the post by someone with sector experience or sustainability skills. Eventually I decided to do a qualification to help me make this change.”
Winnard became a
Chartered Environmentalist through the Institution in 2014.
She says: “CEnv is important to me when dealing with clients and potential employers in new sectors. It shows that I have a broad understanding of a range of sustainability areas, and that I have experience applying them. By applying for CEnv through the IMechE, I was able to include all the company work from my doctorate.”
Winnard says that CEnv indicates a certain level of capability, which helps her stand out as a better candidate as she progresses her career plans. She adds: “It will also enable me to network with likeminded individuals in similar roles, both inside and outside the IMechE, which can be very helpful.”
To be eligible to register for CEnv status through the Institution, you’ll need to be either a Chartered engineer or an Incorporated engineer who also holds a relevant masters qualification, with experience and practice in sustainability and environmental issues.
Find out more
If you’re not registered with the Institution and would like to find out how to become registered, please contact our membership team at:
cenv@imeche.org or telephone 0845 226 9191 (or +44(0)20 7304 6999 if you are calling from outside the UK).
More information and the application form can be found by visiting our page on
Chartered Environmentalist status.