Environmental Protection Scotland (EPS) will be joining the IES family, following a unanimous vote of their members in favour. This move marks an important step in strengthening support for environmental practitioners in local authorities across the UK.

EPS will become part of the IES Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC), furthering its mission of supporting practitioners across the UK to overcome the challenges they face in delivering environmental policy, as well as advocating for the development of implementation-minded policy by UK governments and authorities.

EPS in the IES family

EPS is a Scottish charity that brings together individuals and organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors to discuss and promote ideas, knowledge and solutions to work towards the aim of a cleaner, quieter, healthier and more sustainable Scotland. EPS was historically part of Environmental Protection UK, before becoming separate organisations in 2011. As Environmental Protection UK joined the IES family as EPIC in 2024, this move will reunite the Scottish contingent with the rest of the UK.

EPIC is an expert community that focuses on the challenges faced by local authorities in implementing nature recovery, climate action and environmental protection. Membership of EPIC is free, not just to IES members but to all environmental professionals working in local authorities, recognising their limited resources, but also the critical role they play in tackling environmental crises.

Strengthening Support for Scottish Local Authorities

EPS integration into EPIC will extend IES’s support for local authorities, fostering stronger connections and collaboration. EPS’s expertise and activities will be incorporated into EPIC’s workstreams, providing new opportunities for engagement and knowledge sharing. Its members will have the chance to contribute to, and benefit from, EPIC’s growing initiatives, ensuring that their skills and insights continue to shape environmental policy implementation across the UK.

This move reinforces IES’s commitment to supporting those on the frontline of environmental implementation, equipping them with the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to drive meaningful change.

Quotes

Nigel Kerr, Chair of EPS Trustees
“The integration with IES is an exciting opportunity to advance environmental protection through promoting a scientific approach to the conservation of the physical and natural environment, public education, and professional engagement. Both organisations have at their core an ethos of promoting environmental improvement by influencing policy, reducing pollution, and advancing knowledge and best practices.  

This decision will add a Scottish perspective to the important work of the IES Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC) and I am excited about this new venture and joint working across nations.”

Adam Donnan, CEO of the IES
“We are delighted to welcome colleagues from Environmental Protection Scotland into the IES family. Highly respected within the environmental sector and Scottish local government, EPS will strengthen our work with local authorities and extend our reach in Scotland, allowing us to drive greater environmental impact at a local and national level. Together, we can achieve even more for communities and the environment.”

Ruth Calderwood, Chair of EPIC

“I am delighted that Environmental Protection Scotland has reunited with Environmental Protection UK, now the Environmental Policy Implementation Community of the IES. EPS brings with it a wealth of experience in the areas of air quality, land quality and noise as well as its all-round expertise in promoting sustainable development for a resilient Scotland. We are really looking forward to working together in our pursuit of robust and deliverable environmental policy for the whole of the UK.”

Contacts

Ellie Savage, EPIC Policy Officer, ellie@the-ies.org

Background

Environmental Protection Scotland (EPS) is a Scottish Charity that brings together individuals and organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors to discuss and promote ideas, knowledge and solutions to work towards the aim of a cleaner, quieter, healthier and sustainable Scotland. EPS is active and influential in the fields of air quality, land quality, noise, and is at the fore of emerging environmental issues, including working towards sustainable development for a resilient Scotland. EPS has roots stretching back to the 19th Century and arose from the Scottish division of Environmental Protection UK (EPUK).

The Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES) is a professional membership organisation with over 6,000 members, representing the full spectrum of environmental disciplines – from fields as diverse as air quality, land condition, water, and education. Its skilled and knowledgeable membership act as a cohesive body of thinkers, problem solvers, educators, and practitioners.

The Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC) is a community of the IES. EPIC brings together members from across the environmental sciences to share their experiences and call for ambitious and deliverable policy, as well as providing members with the knowledge, insights and tools to help them deliver on the ground.