What does an environmental compliance advisor do, I hear you say? Well, let me explain. My job title is very broad and could refer to a whole host of activities. The one thing it does make clear is that my work has to do with legislation governing environmental related policies.
In my case, those regulations include the Energy Savings and Opportunity Scheme, the Carbon Reduction Commitment, REACH & RoHS – hazardous substance regulations. While the focus may be on the energy consumption compliance schemes, my remit also extends to other sustainability related legislation such as the Modern Slavery Act, and most things to do with supply chain transparency.
The ‘advisor’ part of the title means that I work with companies who need to comply with the environmental regulations to help them fulfil their requirements. I communicate their obligations to them, and discuss how they can go about meeting them. I help them collect and manage the relevant data. I also deal with project admin, and for some regs, act on their behalf to ensure they are legally compliant.
The company I work for, Valpak, primarily serves as a compliance scheme for packaging waste, waste electrical and electronics, and battery regulations. I don’t have much involvement in those areas, but I have been fortunate enough to learn about them through my role. I also collaborate with members of staff across the company. For example, I am currently project managing an event to promote our tool – Insight Platform. My department is predominantly responsible for the sustainable development aspects of the tool, which helps companies ask questions of their supply chains and collects the data in one place. Supply chain transparency is becoming increasingly important in the field of sustainability, and this is our way of using data management expertise to help alleviate some of the challenges.
My day usually begins with emails, reading and writing. I then spend a significant amount of time checking data, and formatting it appropriately. I sometimes have to carry out conversions to ensure that the data is in the correct units for the different regulations. After lunch, I generally repeat the process, however the days are interspersed with client phone calls and planning meetings.
I never like dull moments and consequently, I’m always eager to take on new tasks. Currently, I am helping organise the away day for my department which has allowed me to work closely with a few other members of staff I wouldn’t ordinarily work with! Moving forwards in my role, I expect to see some changes with the upcoming Brexit activities, although they are unknown as of yet. I will also be working on our service for the new streamlined energy and carbon reporting regulations which will require a larger number of companies to comply.
Most rewarding is the fact that I am helping companies reduce their negative impacts on the planet. Developing data management and Excel skills has been beneficial and I am enjoying using my organisational skills in a more professional setting. There’s also a lot of flexibility which allows me to reduce my commuter footprint by working from home a couple times a week.
In conclusion, full time work: so far, so good.
Please get in touch if you have any questions about my current role!
All thoughts and opinions disclosed within this article (and the entire blog) are those of the author only. They do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of any affiliated company.