What does the ISEP rebrand mean for the recognition of our profession?

16th September 2025

 

Identity is fundamental to how we understand ourselves as individuals and how the world relates to us. It shapes our beliefs, behaviours, and choices, providing a sense of continuity and purpose.  

This matters at a personal level but also at a professional level. Our transformation from IEMA to the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) marked more than just a name change and a new visual identity. It set down a marker for the future of our profession — one that aims to recognises the expertise, standards and crucial role sustainability and environmental professionals we now play at the heart of the global economy. 

So, what does this transformation mean for the recognition of the profession? Here are five key benefits ISEP is aiming to deliver as a result of the rebrand:  

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  1. Establishing Credibility and Trust

Clarity around the name and identity of ISEP will help us establish trust with the wider community and position the field as a professional, evidence-based discipline. Just as we expect medical professionals to speak on health matters, the public and decision-makers should look to qualified sustainability professionals for insight on environmental, business and social issues.  

Brand recognition will help us advocate sustainability and environmental professionals as expert, accountable, and equipped with the necessary skills to make informed and ethical decisions with a set of clear standards for knowledge, ethics, and performance. 

  1. Raising Public Awareness and Understanding

Understanding the role of sustainability and environmental professionals will ensure the public demands we play a key role in influencing government policy and legislation, delivering best-practice across business, and inspiring change in society.   

Whether raising our profile via media coverage, thought leadership, creative social media, or direct public engagement, we can help establish our credibility alongside that of other longstanding professions such as engineering, accounting and the law. 

  1. Shaping the narrative and influencing decision-makers

Shaping how people perceive sustainability and environmental issues – whether from a government, business or societal perspective – will influence policy debates, business strategy and public opinion.  

Government leaders, investors, and corporate executives often rely on media narratives to guide their actions. ISEP’s purpose of empowering members to become agents of change requires us to be visible and vocal, using our expertise to shape high-level decisions. Communicating with a clear brand helps us advocate for the profession to have a leading role in policymaking and decision-making — not just the implementing. 

  1. Driving systemic changeCredible professionals across the global economy have the authority and influence to drive change across organizations, industries, and governments. Likewise, sustainability professionals held to the same levels of esteem and accountability as other professionals in their field can have the same level of influence – from an environmental and social perspective – on core strategies, policies, and operations. 
  2. 5. Attracting and retaining talent and inspiring the next generation
    Establishing ISEP members as influential and crucial voices on sustainability and the environment helps raise the legitimacy and attractiveness of the field for talented individuals. This is particularly key when recognising the green skills gaps that exists and is set to grow in the years to come. This can encourage students and early-career professionals to pursue sustainability with the confidence that their work will be valued, respected, and impactful over the long term. 

Showcasing to young people and their families that sustainability is a viable, respected, well-paid career path by hearing from real professionals – through  interviews, articles, podcasts, or social media – can  inspire the next wave of practitioners and reinforce the idea that working in sustainability and the environment is a professional, purposeful, and rewarding career. 


Published by:
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Stuart Brennan AISEP

Director of Communications

Stuart leads communications at the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals having joined ISEP in 2024. He is a senior communications professional with 20 years' experience in strategic marketing & communications, stakeholder engagement, public relations & media management, events & campaigns, social media & digital comms, crisis comms and internal comms. Stuart has worked in both the private and public sectors, primarily focused on environment, energy and net-zero innovation, including roles at Ecotricity, the Environment Agency and Energy Systems Catapult. During his career Stuart has been involved strategic comms and delivery for a range of sustainability and environmental projects, including stakeholder comms for wind and solar developments, launching Britain’s largest electric vehicle charging network, managing communications for a professional football club, forming part of an award-winning team managing complex communications during major flooding incidents and growing awareness of a multitude of start-ups working on net-zero innovations.