Rhys Williams has become the first Savills graduate to go through the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) process.
Rhys joined Savills in March 2021 as Graduate Environmental Impact Assessment Consultant – preparing environmental assessments for large residential, energy and national infrastructure schemes. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process is designed to ensure any significant effect a project may have on the environment is taken into account when considering whether to grant planning permission. At the time of joining he was the first graduate appointed through the graduate assessment centre process to follow this specific pathway and the only graduate working specifically on EIA projects.
Prior to joining Savills, Rhys completed a masters degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Southampton – his thesis on nutrient neutrality led to an introduction to the Savills planning team.
Rhys Williams, EIA Consultant says “While many of my colleagues will have followed the RTPI route to become chartered, my passion lies with the environment and it was great to focus solely on this throughout my time on the Savills graduate scheme.
There are so many pathways into the various teams within the planning division at Savills but not all are widely known. Through this process I was mentored by Erin Banks and Peter Traves, who are my fellow EIA colleagues and are both also members with IEMA. A special thanks must go to them for their help and support along the way.”
Peter Lamb, head of the Wimborne Planning team at Savills comments “We are delighted that Rhys has attained the status of EIA Practitioner and it reflects his dedication and aptitude for environmental planning. His success also adds further breadth and depth to the Central South Planning EIA team who are working on a range of exciting project across the UK and with various teams within Savills. I look forward to Rhys going from strength to strength.”
Gavin Hall, head of Savills EIA Service Line noted “this is a strong accolade not just for Rhys but also for the company to have expanded its opportunities for people to join the award winning Savills Graduate Scheme from wider backgrounds than the typical planning or surveying pathways”.
You can read more about the membership competencies needed to become an IEMA practitioner here https://www.iema.net/membership/membership-levels/practitioner
