A Message from our CEO

As our President Max Wade reminded us last week, we are very much all in this together. I am pleased to say that the Secretariat is largely operating as normal, albeit remotely and with some different and unexpected priorities.  So we are still receiving and assessing membership applications, developing a revised professional development programme, providing advice to members and working with partners to lobby Government.  We remain as grateful as ever to our volunteer members whose continuing support is ensuring that all these activities can take place and also to our Governing Board for reacting quickly to help guide our efforts to provide support for you, our members, whilst dealing with their own very changed circumstances.

At an extraordinary meeting of the Governing Board last week, Board members agreed to bring forward a plan to introduce a Member Assistance Programme as a matter of urgency.  I am very pleased to say that our chosen delivery partner has reacted quickly and CIEEM members can now access an extensive package of support including telephone advice lines, counselling services and a website full of information and practical advice on topics as wide ranging as debt management, stress management and mental health.  Their services are available 24/7 and are delivered confidentially.  More information is available via the ‘My CIEEM’ area of the website under ‘Member benefits’.  In addition, we have made an adjustment to the recently launched mentoring platform to provide you with another route to make contact with fellow members that are facing similar challenges.  If you have already registered as a mentor and would be willing to be contacted for a discussion about the Covid-19 situation please do update your registration using the new option available.  If you have yet to register as a mentor or a mentee please do consider using the platform to connect with fellow members at this time.  You can use your ‘My CIEEM’ login details to access the platform at: https://cieem.onpld.com/, and use the messaging functionality to connect.

Next week we are launching the first of a fortnightly series of live online ‘drop-in’ lunchtime sessions to allow you to discuss issues of concern.  A small panel of Institute members and relevant Secretariat staff will be available to listen to your concerns and discuss ways of tackling them.  The first session, on Wednesday April 15^th from 12:00-12:30, will largely be focused on Covid-19 and the impact of the current lockdown measures on those working in the sector. Registration for the session will be open tomorrow afternoon.

And finally, we are very aware that there may be more that you need from us by way of support and help.  So that we can better understand the impact of the current situation on both yourselves and your work, together with what help you may need, please do take the opportunity to complete this short survey. The survey will be open until the close of business on Tuesday 21^st April.

Whilst your membership of CIEEM is for professional reasons, it also has a personal element. It connects you as part of a wider ‘family’ of people who share a common interest and passion. Now, more than ever, that personal element can come to the fore as we help and support each other during the next few difficult weeks and months.

I hope that you and those you care about stay safe and well.

With very best wishes
Sally

Sally Hayns CEcol MCIEEM
Chief Executive Officer