Atkins Environment Practice to expand by half in the next two years in response to increased demand for sustainable infrastructure
Five new service lines will be introduced as part of the Atkins Environmental Practice expansion, as the SNC-Lavalin Group member seeks to meet the needs of a changing market.
The five new service lines will focus on:
- Nature-Based Solutions
- Valuing a Sustainable Future
- Carbon Advisory
- Planning and Consenting
- Sustainability and Climate Resilience
A recruitment drive will soon commence to fill newly created roles within these lines.
The enhanced environment teams will work with clients on projects from day one
Dr Victoria Hutchinson, Atkins Environment Practice director, said: “By working with clients much earlier in the project process, we can put environment and communities at the heart of the decision making, which ensures better outcomes and improved circumstances for people.
“This will help mitigate any project risks around time and budget and make sure clients get consentable solutions that are ready to go to site quickly.
“It means meeting demand for new services, but also growing our existing consulting strategy and advisory services.”
A dedicated approach to delivering sustainability and social value
“We are bringing our understanding of client objectives and regulatory requirements, as well as our ability to rapidly assemble and interpret data sets, so we can take complex client projects and bring them together behind a coherent presentation of data. This demonstrates real long-term value across physical, environmental and social drivers.”
By engaging with clients and stakeholder groups before work starts on-site, potential problems can be identified and resolved earlier, as well as identifying and enacting social value outcomes.
This holistic approach will benefit both clients and long-term communities around projects.
Dr Hutchinson adds: “By finding new ways of looking at value we can help rebalance communities, create more opportunity for under-represented groups to participate in the economy, and identify nature-positive ways of stimulating growth. This should mean that overall we invest in infrastructure that creates better outcomes for communities and the environment.”
Some new service line directors have already been appointed
Atkins has selected directors for all of the new Environment Practice groups, with only Sustainability and Climate Resilience yet to find a lead.
Nature Based Solutions will be led by Claire Neale as service line director
Claire joins Atkins from Southern Water, bringing over two decades of experience in the water industry and environment sector.
She is focused on delivering outcomes for a more sustainable future, with enhanced natural and social value, connecting communities and improving liveability.
Valuing a Sustainable Future is led by Dr Philippa Ross
Dr Ross has a doctorate in sustainability and resilience and brings nearly 20 years’ experience working in multidisciplinary teams with governments and development banks.
The service line will focus on utilising sustainability reporting, multi-capitals, economics, decisional making frameworks and other techniques to deliver client value proporsiitons.
Dr Andrew Jones will lead Planning and Consenting
Andrew is an established business leader in the built environment sector, with 30 years’ experience in urban planning, mixed-use regeneration, global events, and sustainable place strategies.
Carbon Advisory is led by Paul Taylor as service line director
A technical director with 32 years consultancy experience and a background in GHG emissions, Paul’s recent focus is on embodied carbon reduction opportunities in linear infrastructure for major clients.
Faster, better, greener project outcomes
Mike McNicholas, managing director of Atkins’ Infrastructure division, said: “As a business we have undergone a process of ‘re-imagining’ the role of our environment services in order to meet the ongoing challenges faced by clients.
“The result is a holistic approach to projects that enables clients to make informed investment decisions and ensures all stakeholder groups fully understand the benefits of the approach, resulting in faster, better, greener project outcomes.”
You can find out more about Atkin’s Environment Practice and services here.
