News
PBA Joins New EIA Quality Mark Scheme
26th May 2011
Peter Brett Associates LLP (PBA) is one of only 40 organisations worldwide to be part of a new scheme that recognises a dedication to excellence in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
IEMA, the UK’s largest environmental professional association representing over 15,000 practitioners, has recognised Peter Brett Associate’s dedication to quality practice and the firm’s position as a founding organisation of the EIA Quality Mark scheme.
The scheme will help planners, consultancies, developers, infrastructure bodies and construction companies to locate and work with externally verified EIA organisations from a central register and subsequently deliver a successful EIA project as part of delivering the green economy.
Martin Baxter, IEMA’s Executive Director-Policy, said:"The 40 organisations that have so far gained the EIA Quality Mark have proven that they are capable of delivering sustainable development in practice."
EIA, an assessment process that can be applied to new developments, ensures that the environment is considered during the early stages of any development project. It provides a mechanism by which the environmental effects generated by a development can be predicted allowing them to be reduced or avoided. As such EIA forms a critical part of the decision-making process for proposed developments.
With the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive having been in place for 25 years and any updates some years away, IEMA identified the need for a new measure of EIA performance while the UK replaces major infrastructure in pursuit of the low carbon economy. As a result, IEMA has developed the EIA Quality Mark scheme to ensure future EIA practice in the UK continues to uphold high standards of quality.
Bruce Blaine, Director of Environment and Sustainability, said: "The new scheme is an important step in the development of EIA as one of the tools for delivering sustainable development, and we are delighted to be part of this founding group. Having worked closely with IEMA in developing the accreditation process, PBA has shown that the skills and expertise it has available can deliver EIA to the standard required by clients and approving authorities."