This page will be used to keep members, stakeholders and event attendees updated on the impacts that the COVID-19 virus has on membership services. Our overarching concern is to keep staff, volunteers, members and others safe, whilst taking a pragmatic approach to keeping the Institution operating effectively.
Last updated: 08/06/2020
Government Guidance
General Guidance
Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do
Find out about the government response to coronavirus (COVID-19) and what you need to do.
The UK Government's COVID 19 Recovery Strategy
Read the Government's 'roadmap' outlining its plans for moving forward in the next phase of its response to the virus.
Staying alert and safe social distancing
The most important thing we can do is to stay alert, control the virus, and in doing so, save lives.
Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do
Frequently asked questions on what you can and can’t do during the coronavirus outbreak.
Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK
The latest number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk level in the UK.
Coronavirus bill: what it will do
Measures contained in the fast-tracked coronavirus legislation and why they are needed to effectively manage the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the UK.
Guidance for businesses
Working safely during coronavirus
Guidance to help employers, employees and the self-employed understand how to work safely during the coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19: guidance for employees, employers and businesses
Guidance for employees, employers and businesses in providing advice about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Information for individuals and businesses in Scotland
A page to navigate the guidance on the virus for people in Scotland.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Information for individuals and businesses in Wales
A page to navigate the guidance on the virus for people in Wales.
Educational organisations
COVID-19: guidance for education settings
Specific guidance for childcare, schools, further and higher educational institutions
Coronavirus (COVID-19): apprenticeship programme response
Guidance for apprentices, employers, training providers and assessment organisations about the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)
Environment
COVID-19 regulatory position statements
Environment Agency regulatory response to coronavirus (COVID-19)
Monitoring emissions from installations, radioactive substances and waste activities
Delaying and rescheduling some emissions to air and water monitoring and other environmental monitoring because of COVID-19 restrictions
Exceeding waste storage limits at permitted sites because of COVID-19
Temporarily store more waste than your permit allows during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak
Coronavirus (COVID-19): information for farmers, landowners and rural businessesEnvironment Agency regulatory response to coronavirus (COVID-19)
The latest Information for farmers, landowners and rural businesses during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for people with animals
Including advice for people working with animals
Forestry Commission operational update: coronavirus
Details on the Forestry Commission's working practices during the coronavirus
Impact on IES operations
Event cancellation
We are following the advice of the UK Government to 'avoid social contact with others and stop non-essential travel to fight Coronavirus' and as a result, all face-to-face events and workshops over the next few months will be postponed.
Where possible we will deliver events and workshops via online platforms. Please refer to the individual event page for further details around each of our events.
We will honour all bookings made for events to date and transfer these to the new event date, details of which will be circulated to you in due course.
The following events have been postponed:
- Land Condition Symposium
- IAQM Forum: The Environment Bill and Air Quality Targets
- IAQM DMUG 2020 conference
- IAQM Indoor Air Quality conference
Where possible, we will be moving our Chartership workshops online. If you are booked on one of these workshops you will be receiving an email shortly about the new arrangements.
Our webinar programme will continue as planned and we will be expanding this offering to aid members working from home.
Contacting Staff
In line with government advice, IES staff are now working from home. Calls from the office are on divert to a member of staff but they will not be able to transfer you to other staff members. Where possible please use email. Contact details for staff members are available on our Structure & Personnel page. Please be patient when contacting the IES. We remain a small team of five staff. We will always get back to you, but this may take a bit longer than usual. If something is urgent please mark it as such in your email or communication to us.
Applications for Membership and our Registers should be sent via email, not post.
Room booking
The IES meeting spaces will not be available for hire during March and April.
Adaptations to IES Policies
Statement on IES/CHES accredited programmes
We recognise that institutions may need to make short-term changes to the curriculum and assessment of their accredited programmes.
If changes to curriculum and assessment do not impact on the programme learning outcomes, you do not need to alert CHES of these changes and there will be no impact on the programme's accredited status.
Changes that impact key criteria for accreditation, such as field trips, lab- and fieldwork, work placements, and assessments, will not affect accreditation if the impact is contained within this academic session.
If you are intending to make any changes to your accredited programme beyond this academic year, these changes should be submitted in email to Rhiannon Humphreys for consideration by the accreditation review panel, as stated within the accreditation agreement.
Statement on CPD
The IES expects all members to undertake, record and reflect on CPD. The IES reiterates the importance of keeping up your CPD during this period. We recognise that given the current situation, the balance of that CPD is likely to bend more towards online learning. We commit to continuing to help members achieve their CPD targets through CPD opportunities that comply with social distancing - including our webinars, magazines, website content, videos etc. All of these can contribute to your CPD hours. It might also be a chance to think creatively about what constitutes CPD: for example, if you are home schooling and setting up environmental science lessons for your new students, you might be building new skills!
Other useful resources
Tips for online meetings (pdf) - IES
How to stay connected while working remotely (pdf) - Chris Thorpe
Advice on COVID-19 and Undertaking Site-Based Ecological Work (pdf) - CIEEM
Guidance on Ecological Survey and Assessment in the UK During the Covid-19 Outbreak (pdf) - CIEEM
