There are currently over 200 pieces of environmental law in place in the UK – and that number is growing. This is due to increased public and governmental awareness of the environmental impacts associated with business, and industry, through visible climate changes and extreme weather events. Therefore, there is a greater requirement for organizations to prevent the impacts associated with waste, energy, and pollution. Imvelo Ltd is an experienced environmental consultancy company which understands environmental law and its application to business. Leading this company, a passionate and professional environmentalist and businesswoman, Tamma Carel – Director and Senior Environmental Consultant. In 2019, Tamma was shortlisted in the ’STEM category’ for the Best Businesswomen Awards and the ’Entrepreneurial Spirit Award’ at the Natwest Great British Entrepreneurial Awards.
Ability to Engage People
At the age of seven, Tamma Carel’s first ’career ambition’ was to be a mermaid! All she knew was that she wanted to spend her life in, on or under a pristine ocean, and she would be forever happy!
Tamma was first able to explore a slightly more realistic career option with the sea during her 10 years work experience at the Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary- after which she returned voluntarily throughout her GCSE and A-Level summer vacations. It was here that she became aware of issues regarding conservation & the protection of the environment, and from that point, many of her academic decisions were geared to working within the environmental sector.
“Fundamentally, everything we do at Imvelo aims to work with businesses and establish strategies that have a positive impact on the planet.”
Whilst at University (BSc Biology and Psychology), Tamma was lucky enough to use her summer vacations to gain work experience in South Africa. First, at the Umgeni River Bird Park where she worked with a variety of birds (including critically endangered Wattle Cranes, Vultures, Macaw Parrots and several species of Hornbills), researching their behavior in the wild and utilizing that knowledge to train natural behaviors for an educational show to raise money for the bird park and the rescue of endangered species.
Tamma also undertook a 2-month internship at the Natal Sharks Board, where she was responsible for analysing shark attack data in South Africa for over 12 years. Getting her hands ’dirty’ helping with shark dissections and educational presentations to school groups and members of the public to raise awareness of the need for shark conservation and the critical role played by apex predators.
During her MSc (Environmental Management), she spent a summer in Barbados with a multi-disciplinary EU Team looking at the sustainability of the Sugar Cane Industry on the island. Here, she saw the real impact and the environmental challenges for a small coral island, the effects of soil quality, freshwater supply, cultural history, economic viability, and food security. All of which served to further highlight the complexities and the desperate need to find sustainable solutions for the future.
Tamma received her Practitioner Qualification with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). PIEMA is the professional benchmark for environmental and sustainability professionals who are driving change. This has enabled her to demonstrate her professionalism and competency within the environmental industry and ensures that she remains equipped, connected, fully up-to-date, and in touch with learning opportunities.
Tamma has been known to foster baby hedgehogs (running a release sanctuary from her garden), firewalk, bungee jump, sing, and dance to raise money for causes that are close to her heart! She also volunteers via the STEM Ambassador National Programme, and she is an active campaigner for Women in STEM. She has had the privilege of mentoring two 9-year girls on a fortnightly basis since January 2019, and regularly delivers STEM Careers Talks to student groups from Year 6 through to University.
Imvelo’s beautiful colourful logo and name (the Zulu word for the environment) speaks to the power of mermaids and action for a sustainable future.
Environmental Training Schemes
Sustainability and environmental impact are dominating the public consciousness, and businesses are realizing that they need to start looking at their environmental impact if they want to be successful in the future. The increase in public awareness has provided Imvelo with the opportunity and impetus to expand its capacity, build infrastructure & scaleup. With increasing demand throughout numerous industries, and a growing customer base, Imvelo is responding to the mounting global pressure for a greener world and is constantly helping clients adapt to the regulations and their social and environmental responsibilities.
Currently, Imvelo is working on a new product to help businesses maintain their awareness of environmental legislation. There are over 200 pieces of environmental legislation in the UK, and a lot of the time businesses unintentionally breach legislation and pollute the environment. Imvelo is developing software that will make this legislation more accessible, and therefore assist its Clients in being at the forefront of environmental management.
What’s more, when and if Brexit occurs, it will bring great change to environmental legislation as the UK updates and refines its laws. Although there is great uncertainty surrounding how Brexit will affect businesses, especially in manufacturing, Imvelo is doing its best to embrace the challenge, looking at the opportunities that will come from it and how they can adapt their services to better help the Clients.
Imvelo is also looking into further innovation, developing technology that can be introduced into environmental training schemes. By using Virtual Reality (VR) mechanisms, companies can upskill their workforce by giving situationally based learning, allowing staff to experience real-life environmental situations without health and safety risks.
A Privileged Job
Establishing Imvelo Ltd was the most positive decision Tamma has ever made. She truly believes that her job is a privilege and that environmental sustainability is the challenge facing the survival of the world. She feels very lucky that she gets to do what she loves every day and makes a difference for future generations!
Imvelo Ltd is an experienced Environmental Consultancy and Training provider, offering tailored services to meet the growing demands of sustainable business practices across a range of industries. The company provides dedicated business support with a bespoke approach & accredited environmental training, that enables businesses to integrate sustainability strategies aligned with commercial requirements.
Tamma’s passion is to support industry to meet the growing demands of stakeholder expectations and drive sustainability for the future. She does this by working with businesses in all sectors to ensure legal compliance, reduce business risk, prevent pollution, and increase resource efficiency. With most of her clients being from the Process, Manufacturing, Construction and Waste Industries, she is on a mission to help the environment and use her position to demonstrate that women can be powerful agents of change!
Environmental Management Systems
Providing bespoke and strategic support, Imvelo works closely with Senior Leadership Teams to proactively consider environmental and sustainability issues when making critical organizational decisions such as production planning, resource planning, developing new products/services, and acquisitions/mergers.
For its clients, strategic environmental objectives and targets are proven to increase staff engagement and result in financial and carbon savings! The company has a 100% success record of assisting clients in the implementation of Environmental Management Systems, working with large organizations and SME’s, within both the public and private sectors, and across almost every business & industry sector.
Imvelo also delivers training and over the last three years has trained over 1500 people in environmental management, sustainability, resource efficiency, and pollution prevention. The organization’s consultants and trainers build personal relationships with clients, using excellent knowledge and passion, alongside an energetic and motivated work ethic. It believes that it can make significant positive contributions towards the environment through the businesses it works with and therefore believes in a personal and collaborative approach to its customer relationships.
