What are environmental consulting services?

Environmental consultancy services involve expert analysis, planning, and oversight to guide projects and operations in a way that is environmentally responsible and compliant with applicable laws and standards. Besides facilitating compliance with environmental legal obligations, these consulting services also help manage reputational and financial risks as well as strategic planning.

Because the environment is an inseparable part of sustainability, it is a fundamental element for improving long-term profitability and stakeholder confidence. Many studies that have looked at the link between ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) performance and financial success have found positive connections. Companies with better ESG performance tend to be more efficient, have better stock performance, and lower capital costs (Whelan et al., 2021).

Environmental consultancy serves a wide range of sectors, including energy, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and the mineral industry, among others. While not all projects in these sectors require environmental assessments, EU regulations outline specific cases where assessments are mandatory. These include crude oil refineries, thermal power stations, metallurgical factories, integrated chemical installations, construction of airports, railways, motorways, and express roads, ports, waste disposal facilities, water treatment plants, dams, and intensive poultry or pig farming, among others (EC, 2011).
In all these cases, these consultancies combine scientific and policy knowledge with technical skills to address environmental challenges throughout project lifecycles, and trained professionals typically provide them with backgrounds in environmental science, engineering, geology, ecology, law, regulatory compliance, or public health.

In general terms, the services offered can be categorized as follows:

• Audit and evaluation: This includes, but is not limited to, Environmental Impact Assessments (ESHIA), environmental impact analyses (EIA), and due diligence investigations.
• Risk identification and management: Encompassing remediation design, emergency response planning, and environmental monitoring services.
• Regulatory compliance: Providing guidance on national and international regulations, alongside support in navigating authorization procedures.
• Integration of the environment into business strategy: Covering sustainability and ESG consulting, Environmental Management Systems (EMS), stakeholder engagement, and public consultation, among other related services.
• Change management: Including environmental education and communication strategies.

Environmental consulting extends beyond basic compliance to identify opportunities for operational improvement, cost reduction, and reputation enhancement through improved environmental performance. This approach helps organizations transform environmental challenges into strategic advantages through solutions like circular economy initiatives.
Effective environmental stewardship is not just about compliance; it's about creating long-term value, managing resources responsibly, preventing the generation of negative effects on the environment, properly managing environmental aspects, and shifting towards renewable energy. Environmental consultants serve as strategic partners who offer objective analysis and practical solutions tailored to specific client needs.

If your company needs environmental consulting services, we invite you to contact us with any questions. At Applus+, we have years of experience in this field and a team of more than 2,000 technicians and specialists available to offer comprehensive advisory services.