SocEnv Update – June 2026

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Knowledge sharing, inspiration, impact, and awards. A SocEnv Update.

Is the 2026 Environmental Professional of the Year a CIEEM member?

At the time of writing, the finalists of the 2026 SocEnv Awards have been confirmed. The Environmental Professional of the Year award has eight Chartered Environmentalists still in with a chance of picking up the highly coveted trophy made from Grown in Britain certified timber.

On the shortlist is the CIEEM President, Penny Lewns CEcol CEnv MCIEEM – an Associate Director at AtkinsRéalis. Joining Penny on the impact-stacked finalist list:

  • Geraldine Badura CEnv – Construction Sustainability Lead, Gatwick Airport
  • Lewis Chenery CEnv – Environment & Sustainability Director, Southern Renewals Enterprise (via Atkins Realis)
  • Suzanne Dolan CEnv – Founder, D-Carbon Alliance
  • Stephen Elderkin CEnv – Director of Environmental Sustainability, National Highways
  • Sarah Horrocks CEnv – Head of Air Quality & Emissions, AtkinsRealis
  • Dr Richard Manton CEnv – Director of Sustainability, University of Galway
  • Crawford Wright CEnv – Head of Architecture and Design, Department For Education.

For the results – announced at the SocEnv Awards evening hosted by Arup on the 4th June – visit socenv.org.uk/socenv-awards. With thanks to our sponsors E3P and Burns & McDonnell.

Plus, this seems like an appropriate time for a huge thank you to our CEnv, REnvP and REnvTech registrants for collective impact you are making. The SocEnv Awards shows a snippet of the outstanding contributions happening every day.

World Environment Day 2026

Each year we dedicate some time to support what World Environment Day stands for. Yes, the environment isn’t a one-day thing. The issues won’t be solved in 24 hours. But it’s a focal point for change, for inspiring messages, for connecting with others, for spreading the word.

To mark the occasion, we gave the platform to our registrants to share their views on the theme for the year – “A Global Call for Climate Action”. Our theme announcement article included contributions from four CEnv professionals, including two CIEEM members.

This year’s World Environment Day theme, ‘Climate Change,’ reminds us that our greatest challenges are deeply interconnected. As a Chartered Environmentalist, my work in the water-stressed South East of England has shown that achieving climate resilience requires moving away from “siloed” thinking toward a systems thinking approach.

– Emma Goddard CEnv CEcol MCIEEM, Head of Environment at South East Water

Our collective impact

Our mission is to make a meaningful difference in tackling the climate and environmental emergencies. To understand how effectively we’re driving that change, we looked at the impact created through our work, our registrants, and in collaboration throughout our network. This formed our 2025 “impact report”.

Instead of a traditional written report, we created a more accessible and engaging way to explore our achievements that included:

  • Registrant case studies that demonstrate environmental professionalism in action
  • A special impact‑focused podcast episode sharing insights and experiences from across our network
  • A clear, visual infographic summarising key outcomes and progress.

Explore our impact content here: socenv.org.uk/resource/our-2025-impact – including a case study from Ellie Strike CEnv FCIEEM – Holding government to account.

Education and skills

Our Educational Pathways work continues to expand opportunities for individuals progressing into ecological and wider environmental careers through a diverse range of education and training routes.

We now have 12 apprenticeships mapped to REnvTech and 10 to REnvP (with one further apprenticeship awaiting publication). These include pathways aligned to occupations such as Ecologists, Countryside Rangers, Arboriculturists and Environmental Practitioners, all of which play a key role in protecting and enhancing the natural environment.

The Entry‑Level Environmentalist (ELEnv) register is also continuing to build strong momentum. It is already linked to 13 apprenticeships, including those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a further three in development, alongside two T Levels and 19 Higher Technical Qualifications, helping to recognise early-stage knowledge and skills relevant to environmental practice.

Explore the links below to find out more:

Becoming a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) with CIEEM

Numerous opportunities are available between now and the end of the year to learn more about achieving your CEnv goal. Join a session or two, for free.

30.06.2026 Registration 101 | CEnv Q&A

27.08.2026 Webinar | How to become a CEnv

16.09.2026 Webinar | CEnv and me – The value of CEnv registration

06.10.2026 Registration 101 | CEnv Q&A

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