A look into our collective impact from 2025

In this episode we cover:
03:00 - Collaboration
16:48 - Celebrating registrants
29:59 - Registrant growth
35:51 - Apprenticeships
47:07 - New Strategy (2026)


Speaker bios:
Emma Wilcox CEnv began her career at the National Physical Laboratory after completing her PhD in physical metallurgy at the University of Surrey and her degree and Masters in Materials Science at Brunel University. Building on her academic background, her career has spanned knowledge transfer, training and skills across various technical disciplines. Having established the Energy and Efficiency Industrial Partnership and playing critical roles in creating two Skills Academies, Emma became the Chief Executive of the Society for the Environment in 2015. She is Chair of the IOM3 Sustainability Development Group, a member of the UK Government’s Green Apprenticeships Advisory Panel and a Board Member of the Future Water Association.

Rebecca Hearn CEnv is co-director of Murray Environmental Limited and works in the land contamination field, with experience working on a range of former and active industrial sites including gas works and military sites. She is passionate about knowledge sharing and is an active member of the IES and the Society for the Environment Soils and Stones project team. As well as being actively involved these professional bodies Rebecca volunteers time to Midlands Lands Events (MidLE), Setup by Hearn and Midlands colleagues to support knowledge sharing amongst land professional in the midlands (UK).

Chantelle Brandwood REnvP is a sustainability consultant and the Founder of Eco Action. Her aim is to help businesses make sustainability simple, by cutting through jargon and focusing on what drives real impact. Her work spans carbon management, science-based targets and life cycle assessment, turning complex data into clear plans, practical next steps and progress you can track.

Tom Cheek has worked for over 20 years within a Further and Higher Education college, specialising in technical education and apprenticeships, with responsibility in delivery, quality assurance, technology enhanced learning and compliance across a wide range of sectors. Before SocEnv, Tom worked at the Science Council, with a key focus on connecting science disciplined apprenticeships with new routes to professional registration, recognising the experience and skills educational pathways deliver. The work has required collaboration with professional bodies, employers, apprentices, educational policy makers and other stakeholders, promoting the value of professional body engagement and the benefits of professional registration.

Professor Ian Barker HonFSE CEnv is an independent consultant and commentator on water management, regulation, policy and governance. He is an Honorary Fellow and Vice chair of the Society of the Environment Board. A Chartered Environmentalist with over 35 years’ experience, he had overall responsibility at the Environment Agency for water planning, regulation and management. With a career that spans over 20 years in the water industry, Natalie has worked for Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water across operations, investment, asset management and transformation.

Check out our other platforms:

YouTube: Society for the Environment //
Website: socenv.org.uk // LinkedIn: society-for-the-environment