The IEMA State Of The Profession: Survey 2018

IEMA’s annual member survey reveals a narrowing gender pay gap and rising optimism.

Most environment and sustainability professionals describe their jobs as challenging, but they are more optimistic than a year ago about tackling the world’s environmental challenges, findings from the latest IEMA survey reveal.

The survey – a comprehensive annual snapshot of the views and workplace experience of a diverse sample of IEMA members – also suggests that the profession’s gender pay gap has narrowed over the past 12 months to stand at 14.1% for full-time employees. However, the research shows women are under represented at the top of the profession, despite making up the majority of entry-level employees.

There has been some steady growth in pay, with the median salary for all environment and sustainability professionals at £40,000 a year. Salaries in business and industry have risen, but the median salary for Practitioners in consultancy and the third sector looks to have fallen slightly over the past
12 months.

This edition of the survey contains insights into the achievements, challenges and motivations of IEMA members. The wealth of achievements listed – from regulatory compliance to employee engagement – show the breadth of the environment and sustainability Practitioner’s role.

A large majority (68%) of respondents are satisfied with their job, citing the ability to make change happen and the variety of their responsibilities. Among the minority who are dissatisfied, many are frustrated with their organisation or its senior managers not taking environment and sustainability issues seriously.

Top Findings