Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) President Rachel Skinner has been recognised for her carbon reduction efforts with an honorary Fellowship from the Society for the Environment.
Fellowship status honours those who have made an exceptional contribution to protecting and enhancing the environment and to the Society.
Rachel's successful nomination comes following the launch and subsequent work of the Shaping Zero programme, a wide-ranging initiative to help civil engineers and infrastructure professionals achieve net zero.
Launched in November 2020, the initiative utilises the expertise and insight of ICE’s global membership to build an international repository of practical measures and carbon reduction experts that will enable civil engineers to implement the drive to net zero.
Rachel Skinner, ICE President said: "It’s a tremendous honour to receive this Fellowship. World Environment Day provides another timely reminder of the urgent role that civil engineers can and must play in rapidly reducing carbon emissions towards a net zero position.
"I have been overwhelmed by the reaction to my Shaping Zero rallying call, both from the civil engineering community and far beyond. I am delighted that the ICE has now put actions to cut carbon and build climate resilience at the very top of our list of strategic priorities for the coming years, as this is without doubt the biggest challenge facing society and our collective future."
ICE offers the Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) qualification on behalf of the Society, with both organisations committed to championing, registering and utilising the expertise of environmental professionals. It is an internationally-recognised qualification, open to professionals in a wide range of fields, whose work has a strong focus on sustainability or conservation.
Dr Emma Wilcox, Chief Executive of the Society for the Environment, said: "We are delighted to welcome Rachel Skinner as an Honorary Fellow of the Society (HonFSE). "Through her exceptional contributions to protect and enhance our environment, in becoming an HonFSE she joins an esteemed list of professionals that have demonstrated true leadership when it comes to championing the environment and sustainability.
"This leadership is vital if we are to achieve our climate and environmental commitments, with esteemed professionals like Rachel demonstrating the importance and power of achieving tangible, science-based action driven by expertise."
Rachel was presented with her HonFSE award at the annual Society Awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of leading environmental professionals.
The virtual event took place earlier today (4 June), the eve of World Environment Day, and also saw the announcement of the winners of the 2021 Society Awards, as well as a showcase of organisations going above and beyond through the Society’s Employer Champion programme.