What Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals does

The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) is a UK-registered, not-for-profit company limited by guarantee that operates as the global professional membership body for sustainability and environmental practitioners. Originally founded in 1998 as the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) through the merger of three predecessor bodies, it was rebranded to ISEP in 2025 to reflect an expanded remit across both sustainability and environmental disciplines, and now claims members in over 100 countries served by 90+ approved training centres and a network of hundreds of volunteers.

ISEP's core offering is a competency-based graded membership system spanning Student, Affiliate, Graduate (GradISEP), Associate (AISEP), Practitioner (PISEP), Full (MISEP), Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv), and Fellow (FISEP) tiers, anchored by the proprietary Sustainability Skills Map. This is monetised through annual subscription fees, one-time training and certification fees (Foundation Certificate, Certificate in Environmental Management, Diploma in Sustainable Business Practice), corporate partnership programmes (workforce upskilling, EIA Quality Mark, professional development schemes), an online shop for publications and merchandise, and event/conference fees. Digital delivery runs through the MyISEP membership portal with payments processed via Stripe, while credentials are issued and verified through the VerifyEd blockchain platform using W3C Verifiable Credentials and LinkedIn-integrated digital badges.

The organisation pursues a hybrid B2B/B2C go-to-market: individual professionals self-serve via the MyISEP portal, while enterprise and institutional relationships are driven by direct corporate account management, a 90-partner training reseller network, and university partnerships that grant free student membership. Strategic positioning rests on deep regulatory and standard-setting ties, including formal UNFCCC and ISO recognition of ISEP's Greenhouse Gas Management Hierarchy, leadership of the ISO Environmental Management Systems Committee, the UK Chartered Environmentalist pathway via the Society for the Environment, and structured partnerships with the UN Environment Programme, DEFRA, and the Environment Agency.

Name

Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals

Legal name

The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals

Website

https://isepglobal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ISEP is a UK-based, not-for-profit global professional membership body for sustainability and environmental practitioners, operating graded membership tiers (Student to Fellow/Chartered Environmentalist), accredited training courses, corporate partnership programmes, and an online shop across 100+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

March

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership Fees: Subscription-based membership fees across different grades including Student, Affiliate, Graduate, Associate, Practitioner, Full, and Fellow memberships. Fees are charged for joining, upgrading, and annual renewals. Payment options include one-off annual payment by credit/debit card or annual direct debit.
2. Training and Course Fees: Revenue from Foundation Certificate in Environmental Management, Certificate in Environmental Management, and various professional development courses delivered through approved training partners worldwide.
3. Corporate Partnership Programs: Corporate partners pay for membership programs, professional development schemes, EIA Quality Mark certification, and workplace training accreditation.
4. Publications and Shop: Revenue from books, in-depth guidance, standards, briefings and merchandise sold through the ISEP shop (shop.isepglobal.org).
5. Event and Conference Fees: ISEP Connect conference features free virtual sessions for members, with small fees for in-person member sessions and registration fees for non-members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels16 records

Core offering

ISEP is a not-for-profit professional membership body that accredits, trains, and connects sustainability and environmental practitioners worldwide. It sells individual professional memberships across seven grades, corporate partnership packages, accredited training through its Approved Training Provider Network, and access to conferences, publications, and CPD resources. Its offering is centred on credentialing practitioners to a global competency framework, supported by blockchain-verified digital certificates via its VerifyEd platform.

Product overview

ISEP (Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals) operates as a comprehensive professional membership ecosystem offering competency-based membership grades (Student through Fellow/CEnv), high-quality training and qualifications (Foundation Certificate, Certificate in Environmental Management, Diploma), professional registers, global networking programs, and member resources. The core offering centers on professional recognition and development through membership, supported by training courses, skills assessment tools (Sustainability Skills Map, Skills Gap Tool), and continuing professional development (CPD) resources. Additional products include the ISEP Connect annual conference, TRANSFORM magazine, Sustainable Matters podcast, ISEP Jobs Board, and an online shop. The MyISEP member portal and VerifyEd credential system provide digital access to membership management and blockchain-secured professional certificates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Professional Membership Tiered annual membership for individual sustainability and environmental professionals, granting post-nominal letters, CPD resources, member-only content, networking access, and a blockchain-verified digital credential valid across ISEP's 100+ country footprint.
• Corporate Partnership Programme Annual corporate subscription in one of four tiers that gives employers access to the Skills Gap Tool, discounted staff membership and training, brand association, and benchmarking of their workforce against the ISEP Global Sustainability Competency Framework.
• Approved Training Provider Network (University & Training Partnerships) Accreditation of universities and training organisations to deliver ISEP-aligned courses, granting students a recognised credential and a pathway into Graduate or higher membership grades.
• Training Courses Paid training courses covering sustainability, environmental management, EIA and related topics, available to individual professionals and corporate partner staff.
• Conferences and Events Ticketed in-person and hybrid conferences and events for sustainability and environmental professionals, typically featuring speaker sessions, networking, and sponsor exhibitions.
• Publications and Journals Subscription and member-access publications including the ISEP journal, topical magazines, and digital articles on sustainability practice.
• Podcasts

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Society for the Environment (SocEnv)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMartin Baxter serves as non-exec director of SocEnv. ISEP works closely with SocEnv on professional standards, with ISEP Full members eligible for Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) status through SocEnv. Joint award nominations and recognition programs.
• ISO Environmental Management Systems CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMartin Baxter chairs the ISO Environmental Management Systems Committee (~100 countries) and heads the UK delegation to ISO on environmental management. ISEP standards influence international environmental management standards.
• Broadway InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMartin Baxter serves as non-exec director of Broadway Initiative. Collaboration on policy influencing and sustainability advocacy.
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISEP works closely with UNFCCC to drive international action on climate challenges. The ISEP Greenhouse Gas Management Hierarchy is recognised by UNFCCC as global best practice.
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISEP has extensive experience working with UNEP. Mattie Yeta led the creation of the e-Sustainability Alliance working in partnership with UN and other stakeholders.
• Diverse Sustainability InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to break down systemic barriers to entry and progression within the sustainability profession. Aims to improve diversity of talent entering the profession and improve systems and processes for more inclusive workplaces.
• Green Careers HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration providing resources and support for green careers development.
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlex Giles leads industrial emissions policy at DEFRA. ISEP engages with government consultations and Parliamentary select committee inquiries.
• Environment AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple ISEP members work at the Environment Agency. Neil Goudie works as Regulatory Specialist. ISEP supports regulatory professionals and influences environmental policy.
• Training Partners (90+ globally)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 90+ approved training centres worldwide delivering ISEP-certified courses including Certificate and Foundation Certificate in Environmental Management. Partners operate in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and Australia.
• University PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniversities partner to develop curriculum against ISEP Sustainability Skills Map. Students on accredited courses receive free ISEP membership during studies and can fast-track to Practitioner membership after gaining experience.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): International standards organisation for sustainability reporting, with a growing training and credentialing programme for sustainability professionals. Comparable audience and standards-setting role but positioned as a reporting-standards body rather than a membership body.
• Association of Energy Engineers (AEE): US-headquartered professional society for energy engineers with certified energy manager credentials and global chapters. Comparable on the energy-and-sustainability credentialing axis with a different geographic centre of gravity.
• B Lab / B Corp: Global non-profit network certifying B Corp companies with sustainability standards and accredited assessor training. Adjacent comparator on sustainability credentials, training delivery, and assessor network, but focused on company certification rather than individual professional grades.
• UK Green Building Council (UKGBC): UK-based membership organisation advancing sustainability in the built environment, with corporate and individual members, training programmes, and policy influence. Comparable as a UK sustainability-focused membership and training body, narrower on built environment.

Direct peers

• Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH): UK-based chartered professional body for occupational safety and health, with global membership, graded membership tiers, and direct-to-professional training courses. Closely analogous operating model to ISEP across membership, training, and policy advocacy.
• International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP): US-headquartered professional membership association for sustainability practitioners with credentialing (Sustainability Certified Professional), training, chapters, and a global conference. Closest international direct peer to ISEP on sustainability professional credentialing.
• Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM): UK-based chartered professional body for water and environmental professionals, awarding professional grades and running CPD programmes. Direct comparable to ISEP on environmental professional membership, training, and policy influence.
• Society for the Environment (SocEnv): UK-registered charity that registers Chartered Environmentalists (CEnv) and Registered Environmental Practitioners. Operates as ISEP's direct partner for the CEnv designation but is itself an adjacent professional registration body, making it the closest structural peer.

Broad incumbents

• Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE): UK chartered engineering body with global reach, graded membership, and continuing professional development programmes touching sustainability in the built environment. Comparable in operating model to ISEP but broader in scope.
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS): Much larger UK-rooted global chartered body with a graded membership model, professional standards, training, and significant policy influence. A relevant structural template and broader incumbent in the professional-membership category rather than direct environmental overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ISEPglobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/ISEPglobal.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2444496/admin/dashboard/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/isep_global/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals