Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!

I am not sure how to sum up this year!  Who could have predicted the last nine months of 2020 and its many twists and turns?  It’s certainly been a year like no other.

As we come to the end of the year and head into the festive period, many people will be breathing a huge sigh of relief that at least for the moment they can take a well-earned break.  People have certainly been working under a lot of pressure for a multitude of reasons, be it the threat of redundancy/job security, juggling childcare commitments, home-schooling children, fluctuating workloads, constant diet of bad news, worrying about loved ones etc.  With a combination of a few, or all of the above, we have all been feeling the strain.

Hitting 2021 with the batteries recharged and fresh plans in place to tackle the year ahead in a positive mindset will be essential.

On a more positive note, I have definitely been seeing an improved mood across the industry, that the wheels are turning and workloads are looking fairly optimistic for 2021.  Many of the clients I have spoken to are busy again and anticipating the need to grow teams in order to service the demand.

The industry has been less impacted than originally feared.  When lock down #1 hit, the initial panic literally had people running for the hills and wondered whether they’d ever come back!  Thankfully, the true impact so far has been far less severe in our industry.  You really feel for those less fortunate in the industries that are struggling which are still suffering.

As a consequence of the pandemic, along with the growing awareness of climate change, people’s mindsets do appear to be changing and the drive to build back better will put environment and sustainability at the forefront of people’s minds.

Renewable energy is very much on the increase again, which is great. The whole carbon reduction/management piece is also seeing significant growth.

Employers are more willing to offer flexible working arrangements for their staff, having seen that remote working does not have an adverse impact on productivity.  This will provide people with a better work-life balance, improving well-being and quality of life.

One area I am particularly interested in is around rewilding and the huge potential benefits implementing this offers.  This seems to be growing in popularity and awareness.

People do seem to be a lot more caring towards each other and their community. There have been so many amazing stories of people helping and supporting each other through these difficult times. This mindset is hopefully here to stay.

It’s important to remember the positives despite all the adversity.

I reflect on how lucky I am to work in an industry that I find so fascinating and inspiring.  I am privileged get to talk to so many incredible people, who are working hard to make a difference to how we live our lives and trying to safeguard the planet for future generations.  I get to have a pretty unique perspective on the industry, speaking to so many different professionals.  I am constantly evolving the way I operate in order to offer the best support to my clients where they need it most and play my part in the war on climate change.

It’s great seeing some of the huge strides that are being made in the industry and the innovative ways we are trying to tackle these global issues.  These do provide a source of inspiration and hope, whilst I also recognise just how far we need to go in order to reverse the problems we are facing.

Here's to hoping that 2021 will represent a more stable year and the recovery from the pandemic continues, whilst continuing to fight climate change and living more sustainably.  I will be working hard to play my part in this huge task at hand.

May I wish you Happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous 2021.

Jeremy

JM Pic

Written by:
Jeremy Money
Director, JSM Associates

I have worked within the Environmental and Sustainability sector for 20 years, making me one of the most established and well connected networkers in the market.

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