Wildwood Ecology, which has a Cotswolds office in Brimscombe near Stroud, has scooped the award for Medium Sized Consultancy of the Year from the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management this June 2023.
The CIEEM aims to raise the standards of ecology and environmental management to benefit the natural environment and the public, with its annual awards recognising the organisations and individuals doing outstanding work in the sector.
There are three awards up for grabs for consultancies delivering ecological services, with stringent criteria including the delivery of high-quality, practical outcomes which benefit the business and the economy; evidence of shared learning and good practice; commitment to continuing professional development of staff; and promotion of the profession itself.
Wildwood Ecology was awarded Consultancy of the Year — Medium, with CIEEM highlighting its expertise in supporting architects, planning consultants, heritage organisations and local authorities, as well as its B Corp certification, which it achieved in 2019 and re-certified in 2022.
The business is known for its specialism in surveying, establishing and supporting bat colonies — and was behind the installation of bat boxes at the Bathurst Estate in Cirencester.
It has also been working hard to reduce its own environmental impact, moving its primary office to a more energy efficient building with zero gas emissions, powered by green energy with heating and hot water provided by a water-source heat pump. It is also replacing end-of-life company vehicles with greener options like electric vehicles and has committed to reducing its baseline Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2025 and 100 per cent by 2030.
Its managing director, Richard Dodd, is a mentor for CIEEM, which involves supporting undergraduates and early career ecologists; a STEM ambassador; and a guest lecturer at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester. Wildwood Ecology also launched its own Ecology Academy in 2020 to provide online and hybrid training to aspiring and practising ecologists, as well as bespoke training for consultancies and universities.
Dodd said: 'I am immensely proud to receive this award and humbled to work alongside such a talented and dedicated team, whom demonstrably share my vision. As a certified B Corp we believe that all business can and should be a force for good, and we have ambitious targets to reduce Scope 1 to 3 emissions and make a positive impact in resolving global issues, including biodiversity loss and climate change.'
