Ian works as the main environmental consultant within the QSS Group, a Specialist Railway Consultancy, to assist railway organisations build, implement and maintain their Environmental and Energy Management systems to ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 50001:2011 standards.
Ian initially spent five years in the oil exploration industry after graduating with a degree in Geology and Geography. He went on to develop a career in IT working for British Gas and its successor companies, initially in a technical role then raising to become a Project Risk Assurance Executive. In 2012 Ian took the opportunity of voluntary redundancy to take a Higher Degree in Environmental Management at the University of Derby. He used his background in the oil industry and risk management to undertake a thesis on the Risks of Hydraulic Fracturing for which he received a distinction for his master’s degree and thesis. He was introduced to the QSS Group by the university; they were looking for someone who could be their environmental lead but also support them in other aspects such as qualification of risk and project management.
Ian considers the best features of the QSS Group are the people within it who are supportive, highly motivated and intellectually very capable.
“It is also a very rewarding place to work in terms of variety and challenge. The rail industry is also a fascinating environment to work with its history and new potential with the upcoming High Speed 2 (HS2) project”
Ian joined the IES in 2014 as he recognised on entering a new career that he wanted to make sure there was the support required for him to progress effectively, especially as an environmental lead.
“The IES with its membership structure, Web Portal and excellent ‘Environmental Scientist’ magazine provides a good range of information and features that keep me up to date on the issues of the day. I also manage my Continued Professional Development through the member’s area of the site which is helping me manage my experience levels towards full membership”
Last year Ben undertook an eight-month project working with the Heathrow Airport Engineering department, building an Energy Management System to allow ESOS compliance and ISO50001 certification. This involved building on their current software platform to establish all the processes and procedures required by the ISO standard for compliance. The audit was deemed a great success for Heathrow Airport and for QSS with the auditor remarking that he had not seen a better implementation of 50001 especially as the airport was such a complex and diverse organisation.
Ben is looking to achieve full IES membership within the next year and then to undertake more practical assignments supporting businesses develop their environmental management systems.
“I will also be lobbying for the retaining and, if at all possible, strengthening of environmental laws within the UK following the decision to leave the EU”
