Having been at ISEP (formerly IEMA) for nearly 10 years, I have witnessed a marked change in the profession and, in turn, the professional training space. This shift has driven exponential growth in the adoption of ISEP courses—thanks in no small part to our 160 training partners across the globe. To put this into context, in 2024 ISEP training partners supported learners in over 68 countries.
The environmental and sustainability sectors are evolving rapidly as governments, businesses, and communities face mounting pressure to address climate change and meet sustainability goals. For professionals and non-professionals alike, continuous education and certification are essential—both to remain competitive and to build the skills required for true business transformation.
Our rebrand to ISEP has significantly sharpened our purpose and vision. While members may have understood our direction, for learners and external stakeholders our new identity provides absolute clarity on who we are as an institute. In my experience, real impact is achieved by engaging those who are harder to reach—Directors, Boards, Procurement, Heads of SHEQ, and others. Every improvement we make in clarity helps us extend our influence. Put simply, we now pass the “Ronseal test”: even those outside ISEP’s day-to-day sphere of activity can quickly understand what we stand for, which makes adoption of our training much easier.
I initially considered how best to describe the next part, but I believe an infographic is the clearest way to illustrate the relationships between our three key training audiences.
These audiences interlink, and a vital role of ISEP is to support these conversations, enabling both businesses and learners to access the skills they need for transformation.
For learners
The rebrand from IEMA to ISEP signals investment in globally recognised and respected qualifications. It gives learners confidence that their education will be valued by employers locally and internationally. Whether entering the profession for the first time or seeking to upskill, learners benefit from qualifications that open doors to career opportunities in a competitive market.
For Training Providers
The rebrand offers greater clarity around ISEP’s educational structure and pathways. It enables providers to more clearly demonstrate how their courses align with industry needs. A more structured framework also makes it easier to show professionals that ISEP offerings are relevant to current market demands and future sustainability trends.
For Businesses
For employers, the ISEP badge provides assurance that training is high quality, relevant, and up to date. This helps businesses ensure their people are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to meet both organisational and sector-wide challenges.
Conclusion
The ISEP rebrand represents a significant opportunity for learners, training providers, and businesses alike. By strengthening the credibility of our qualifications, the rebrand positions ISEP to better address the evolving needs of the environmental and sustainability sectors. As global focus on sustainability intensifies, these changes will help training providers remain competitive and ensure that learners and employers are equipped to tackle the pressing environmental challenges of the future.
As Training and Development Manager, Ed gets to see the amazing impact our training network has on business across the globe. We are fortunate to have such passionate members and training partners helping us in achieving our goals of transforming the world to suitability. Ed's accountabilities include: overseeing all 90 commercial training centres, setting the strategic direction of the training function and general communications and updates with our training centres.
