The 2007 edie.net Consultancy Survey garners the opinions of those working within the industry and,
importantly, those of their clients. Users of the website were asked to reveal who they think has the
best reputation, both sector by sector and overall. The UK environment industry employs some 400,000
people, with an annual turnover of £25bn. Environmental consultancy is by far the largest employer and
most influential sector of this industry and this survey gives an insight into who leads the pack.
While you can't put a value on trust, it's fair to say that a solid reputation is a highly
marketable commodity. The Edie Consultancy Survey has shown year on year that customers place
reputation as their top priority when considering which consultancy to opt for - it doesn't matter
how good your services are nor how competitively you are priced, unless you have won the trust of
potential clients and they have faith in your abilities, contracts will be few and far between.
In this section we look at who customers, and the
consultants themselves, believe to have the best
reputation, both overall and sector by sector.
At the beginning of the year the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, then Trade and Industry Minister,
predicted that the 'next Bill Gates' would likely emerge from the environmental industry. This sentiment neatly
summarises the general view of the sector - that as awareness and concern for environmental issues increases,
the market must surely grow. But was this view shared by those who are in the know - the people who work
for the leading environmental consultancies and their client base? When it came to predicting the big winners,
there was a buoyant confidence across the board with those sitting on both sides of the fence saying they believed
there would be growth in every environmental niche. But where will we see a steady trickle of work and where will
the big money flow? See the survey results for the predictions of customers and their consultants.
It's a prickly question, but one to which we would all like to know the answer: how does our pay compare with that of
our peers? Can you consider yourself a valued employee, or is the grass really greener on the other side of the fence?
As the environmental sector blossoms, many of the major consultancies are engaged in recruitment drives that can offer
attractive packages to those fresh out of university as well as to the seasoned professionals. As might be expected,
qualifications and experience are the potential employee's biggest bargaining chips but what else might sway your paymaster?
The salary survey roots through the payslips of the consultancy sector - from those of the bosses through to the office juniors
- to build up a picture of what you can expect to be paid in your position.
The Environmental Consultancy Survey 2007 asked consultants and their clients to tell us who they
thought were the leaders in their field, chosen from the companies below. Those that make it onto
the list are the top 50 companies, based on income from environmental fees for the year ending March
2006. Financial information is based on figures submitted to the Environment Business magazine Consultancy
Survey 2006 and independent research.
