Eco Building

What is iiE?

Investors in the Environment (iiE) is a national environmental accreditation scheme designed to help organisations save time and money, reduce their impact on the environment, and get recognition for their progress. iiE is an accessible and proven route to help organisations get started on their sustainability journey and keep going.

Planet Illustration

Carbon Footprint

Through iiE, you will understand your impact, take action, and demonstrate progress through an externally verified and credible scheme.

Our Framework

The iiE framework supports organisations to build and improve their Environmental Management System in a clear, practical way. It focuses on four key areas of sustainable development: Leadership & Governance, Climate Change, Nature & Natural Resources, and Pollution & Waste.

Bronze helps organisations establish a clear baseline by putting simple processes, policies and systems in place to manage and improve environmental performance.

  • Establishing environmental policy & action plans
  • Gathering baseline data
  • Improving how resources are used
  • Managing & reducing waste
  • Calculating a carbon footprint
  • Communicating progress

 

At Silver level, organisations begin to embed change by using data to track performance, make measured improvements and support wider sustainable development.

  • Setting & achieving targets to reduce resource use
  • Establishing a travel plan
  • Minimising waste
  • Improving the environmental management system
  • Reducing the carbon impact of operations
  • Engaging people in sustainability improvement

 

Green level organisations focus on delivering success and measurable impact and extending wider environmental action across their organisations and value chains.

  • Broadening the focus of environmental action
  • Managing the impact of work-related travel
  • Assessing supply chain and greening procurement
  • Setting ambitious carbon reduction targets
  • Undertaking impactful projects
  • Reporting progress to stakeholders.

Each year, organisations that successfully meet the iiE criteria are awarded a recognised certification to demonstrate their progress.

Join over 300+ businesses across the UK, and beyond, making an impact

Check out our case studies to see how we have supported businesses on making a difference.

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Who is iiE for?

Whether you’re an SME or a large, complex multi-site organisation – if you are looking to understand where you are environmentally and get on a pathway to make improvements and engage staff, we can work with you.

For SMEs

iiE accreditation makes sustainability simple and achievable for small and medium-sized businesses. We help you track your resource use, create action plans, engage staff, and build your green credentials — all in a way that fits around your business priorities.

Manufacturing

For local authorities and corporate organisations

Local authorities and corporate organisations trust iiE to help embed environmental management at scale. We offer tailored support to develop Environmental Management Systems (EMS), engage teams, set measurable goals, and demonstrate leadership in sustainability.

For large organisations

Large, multi-site organisations use iiE accreditation to align sustainability efforts across locations, engage staff, and integrate environmental action into everyday operations. Our flexible approach supports consistency, impact, and meaningful change across brands and sites.

Hear what our members are saying about us:

iiE have provided us with invaluable support and guidance over the years. We are so grateful to them for sharing their ideas and enthusiasm to help us reduce our impact on the environment and save money, while at the same time having fun taking part in various events and activities. Thank you to all the team!

Hunt & Coombs Solicitors

It allows me to tailor the metrics and therefore the EMS to those aspects that are important and relevant to us – either due to environmental impact, or due to the engagement impact with staff…. Also important is the low administration burden.

Facilities Manager, Northampton General Hospital

It’s really gratifying when the work we as a Council have put in is recognised and we can demonstrate to others in the City the benefit of both monitoring and taking action of your environmental impact as well as the iiE approach to a management system as well.

Climate Change Manager, Hull City Council

We can all make a difference at a time when action on climate change is most needed. As we work towards iiE’s top level Green accreditation, we are keen to share our growing experience and knowledge on sustainability to help inspire and support other practices in any way we can.It’s really gratifying when the work we as a Council have put in is recognised and we can demonstrate to others in the City the benefit of both monitoring and taking action of your environmental impact as well as the iiE approach to a management system as well.

E. West, Davies Veterinary Specialists

iiE’s thorough resources take you through the process step-by-step, making it accessible and achievable, and their friendly team has been extremely helpful in responding to our queries. Organisations need help to understand and take action on environmental issues, and iiE’s work provides a vital bridge to enable them to do so.

Sustainability Projects & Education Lead, Change Agents

A number of years on from the original vision, large savings have been realised by doing the right thing and sometimes the obvious. Investors in the Environment gave the college the focus and impetus to collect and quantify everything that was happening throughout the college community.

Hull College

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