CIWEM Mandatory Competencies Guidance
CIWEM Mandatory Competencies Guidance
CIWEM Mandatory Competencies Guidance
Report Guidance
For Chartered and Fellow Membership
CIWEM, 106 to 109 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8QS. Charity Registration No. 1043409 (England & Wales) SC038212 (Scotland)
admin@ciwem.org | 020 7831 3110 | www.ciwem.org
20181115 CIWEM Mandatory Competencies
Guidance - FINAL
Mandatory competencies provide the opportunity to show the formal and informal skills and
qualities that you have developed throughout your career. They demonstrate your ability to
work independently and as a team, to take initiative and to work effectively and apply yourself
to a variety of situations
Please provide a response to each of the CIWEM Mandatory Competencies in the relevant
section of your online application. The maximum number of words for the CIWEM report is
4000 words; the distribution between individual competencies is at your discretion to best
demonstrate your experience. However, please give due consideration to all competencies in
your submission; no competence can be left blank.
Also, please note that appendices, references and footnotes will not be accepted.
You need to use examples from your practical experience to demonstrate the appropriate
level of achievement for each competence. Images and diagrams can be included to support
responses in the 'CV and other supporting documentation' section of the online application.
Your responses need to be written in the first person and identify your roles and
responsibilities, what you have done and what you have learned. If you were part of a team you
need to identify what you personally did, describing your contribution to the overall aim of the
specific project or piece of work.
You normally need to provide two examples that demonstrate the appropriate level of
attainment for each mandatory competence. The competence report is your opportunity to
demonstrate that you are working at a level appropriate to the registration/s for which you are
applying.
The CIWEM mandatory competencies relate solely to CIWEM membership. If you are applying
for registration with the Engineering Council (CEng/IEng/EngTech), Science Council (CSci) or
Society for the Environment (CEnv), then you also need to complete the list of competencies
relevant to the particular registration you are seeking.
Each of these are given in the online application and you are provided with an additional 4000-
word limit for each registration for which you are applying. You should ensure that through
your responses you demonstrate the requirements of the relevant external registration body.
You can obtain guidance for completing the competence for each of these external bodies on
their respective web sites:
Page 2 of 10
20181115 CIWEM Mandatory Competencies
Guidance - FINAL
Please note that you do not have to address all of the questions under each competence, they
are there to help you think about your responses to the Mandatory Competence.
A1. Knowledge of wider environmental issues and trends (which may be related to, but not
constrained, by your area of expertise).
You should be able to demonstrate that you have a breadth of knowledge and have an
awareness of the development of the sector in which you operate and how it has developed
over time with a view to future issues and development. You should be able to demonstrate a
relevant understanding of legislation, local/national/international directives, financial and
societal drivers within your industry.
• Do you understand what the main issues and drivers are in your industry?
• Do you understand the wider context of your position in the environmental sector?
• What knowledge do you require in your day to day role?
• Where do you find the information you require?
• Do you research outside of your discipline?
• How is the industry regulated?
• How do you keep up to date?
• What legislation drives the business of your employer or clients?
• How has your employer or clients developed their business to cope with changing
regulation, legislation or funding pressures?
• How has your employer or clients developed their businesses to meet the challenges
or opportunities presented by evolving technology?
• How can new technologies help you to meet future requirements?
• What other environmental issues are your company involved in outside of your area?
• Can you explain an important current environmental issue in your region?
You will need to demonstrate that you can identify, monitor and review changes (e.g. financial,
technological or legislative) within your sector by preparing strategy at a personal, team and/or
organisational level. The impact of the change on individual / team / organisational workloads
and revenues should be identified and you should demonstrate your ability to put appropriate
planning frameworks in place to prepare for change. You will be able to identify gaps in your
knowledge and information and be able to conduct appropriate research.
Page 3 of 10
20181115 CIWEM Mandatory Competencies
Guidance - FINAL
• What strategies have you devised and implemented to help your employer or clients
evolve to meet external pressures?
• How do you identify that further information is required?
• How does your work help to achieve the company’s strategy?
• Have you developed a new standard, system or service which has been adopted for
future strategy?
• What actions/initiatives have you developed and implemented to address changes
and/or developments? Have they been adopted by other members of your
team/organisation?
• Have you established a programme of research or investigation to supplement existing
information?
• What strategies does your employer have in place to address external challenges and
how do you contribute to the achievement of these strategic aims or goals?
You may wish to identify a project or a piece of work for which you have had responsibility (e.g.
community / user / infrastructure / environment / economic / compliance) demonstrating that
you understand why the work is needed and the implications of potential solutions. Undertake
research (site surveys / mapping / desktop research) to demonstrate you have considered the
implications of potential solutions, including the legislative, social, historical, ecological,
environmental and/or financial as appropriate, this will include all stakeholders’ perspectives
(client / public / regulators / users).
Page 4 of 10
20181115 CIWEM Mandatory Competencies
Guidance - FINAL
You will need to demonstrate you can deal with the unexpected, when change occurs during
your work (e.g. plan, initiate, monitor and revise). You will need to demonstrate the ability to
prepare, control and plan for change / new development (e.g. coordination of documents,
systems and services / preparation of procurement, contract and production documents)
ensuring legal compliance, budgetary control and communication with clients / stakeholders.
B4. Ability to plan and implement solutions and monitor their continuing performance
You will need to demonstrate that you can effectively plan for and implement solutions (e.g.
services, research, development....) complying with appropriate standards (e.g. H&S, QA, costs,
resource management...) identifying risks that may compromise the outcome (e.g. risk
register...). You will demonstrate that you can evaluate performance against the initial
specification that was agreed with the client / stakeholders. You will need to demonstrate the
ability to learn from and amend operating procedures using performance criteria and data
collection as appropriate.
Page 5 of 10
20181115 CIWEM Mandatory Competencies
Guidance - FINAL
You will be expected to demonstrate how your working practices contribute to your
organisation or workplace (financially, technically and professionally). You could, for example,
demonstrate an understanding of the recruitment and selection process of resources and
manpower or a project/piece of work and how to work effectively to deliver your
responsibilities on time, to the appropriate standards and to budget. You could also identify
training needs / skills gaps, opportunities to utilise new and emerging technologies / processes
and to promote sharing of best practice and knowledge, including your ability to assess the
changing requirements of your organisation’s industry.
You will be expected to demonstrate your implementation of relevant H&S policy and
legislation (e.g. including, but not limited to, organisation H&S policy, HASAW act, Confined
Spaces, CDM 2017...), your understanding and promotion of safe working practices for all
stakeholders. You will be expected to demonstrate that there are clear processes in place to
investigate and record accidents, promoting a preventative approach to H&S.
Page 6 of 10
20181115 CIWEM Mandatory Competencies
Guidance - FINAL
You will be expected to explain your understanding of the term sustainability and give practical
examples of how you have implemented your definition. You could for example demonstrate
the need to minimise waste, manage the use of non-renewable resources, monitor and review
energy consumption, recycle and promote use of alternative materials. You may wish to carry
out an audit of your workplace to assess its sustainability credentials.
C4. Understanding, promotion and application of quality enhancement and Quality assurance
(QA)
You could discuss your knowledge of quality management requirements relevant to your
discipline, this will include the need to deliver your responsibilities to established standards
and contribute to continual improvement. If you use data collection and/or interpretation, you
could demonstrate you can assess the accuracy, quality and data reliance to deliver appropriate
recommendations. You could also show how you identify, implement and evaluate changes to
meet quality objectives.
Page 7 of 10
20181115 CIWEM Mandatory Competencies
Guidance - FINAL
This competence will be largely judged on the basis of your application (including the report)
and your interview which includes a presentation. Examples could include a brief statement
to demonstrate where you have contributed to, chaired or recorded actions in meetings;
written guidance documents/specifications/letters/technical reports distributed to clients and
colleagues, prepared and delivered presentations to a variety of stakeholders.
D2. Work professionally, ethically and comply with relevant codes of conduct
You will need to demonstrate that you understand CIWEM’s, your organisation’s and other
relevant Codes of Conduct and promote them to your colleagues to ensure that you are
complying with the required standards and promoting professionalism. You will need to
demonstrate how you adhere to all relevant legislation and regulatory frameworks (e.g.
employment legislation....). You will need to demonstrate that you think and act professionally
and impartially. You will be aware of the limits of your own knowledge, expertise and
competence and when to seek advice / guidance. You will be aware of the CIWEM Code of
Ethics and strive to deliver the most appropriate solutions for all stakeholders.
You will need to demonstrate that you are recording your continued learning and professional
development. You will need to give examples of self-directed research (e.g. journals,
magazines, legislative documents.......), training courses (e.g. H&S, presentation / report writing
skills, new technology / software......), conferences, and technical panel meetings, seminars,
publishing papers and giving presentations. You will be aware of the need of Corporate
Page 8 of 10
20181115 CIWEM Mandatory Competencies
Guidance - FINAL
members, to maintain at least 30 hours of CPD per year and keeping a record of this in the
CIWEM template, illustrating how the learning is contributing to your ability to perform as a
professional.
You will need to identify your commitment to CIWEM, identifying your reasons for joining the
Institution, how you have, will continue to or will in future contribute to developing the
Institution (e.g. Branch meetings, journal papers, WEM articles, Special Interest Groups,
Technical Panels, networks etc....).
Page 9 of 10
20181115 CIWEM Mandatory Competencies
Guidance - FINAL
When providing examples to demonstrate your attainment of the MCs you may
find it helpful to structure your response on the lines of the STAR model:
• Task
What did you need to do?
What was your role?
• Action
What were the steps you took to complete the task?
What challenges did you overcome?
• Results
What was the outcome?
Did you deliver your responsibility?
What lessons did you learn?
Page 10 of 10