IEMA Is Now ISEP: What the Name Change Means for You

When You Book Multiple Courses.

Yes, IEMA is now ISEP. The Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment changed its name to the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP). It is the same organisation with the same standards: the legal name changed in January 2025 and the new brand launched on 17 July 2025. If you hold, or are planning to take, an IEMA qualification, this guide explains what changed, what stayed the same and what it means for you.

If you are looking at the environmental course itself, you can see dates and details on our Foundation Certificate in Environmental Management course page.

What does ISEP stand for?

ISEP stands for the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals. It is the professional membership body formerly known as IEMA, which sets the standard for environmental and sustainability professionals in the UK and internationally.

The new name reflects how the profession has grown. Members told the institute that it needed to cover the wider spectrum of sustainability at work, not only environmental management and impact assessment. They also asked for the word “environmental” to stay in the name, so the institute’s traditional strengths are still recognised.

When did IEMA change its name to ISEP?

The change happened in stages. According to ISEP’s own guidance on the change:

Date	What happened
9 December 2024	Members voted by special resolution to change the name
8 January 2025	The new legal name was registered at Companies House
17 July 2025	The ISEP brand launched and new member suffixes came into use
Up to a year after launch	Both names may be used while the change works through websites, documents and certificates

That transition period is why you will still see the IEMA name on some course listings, job adverts and tender documents. Both names refer to the same body.

What has not changed

ISEP is clear that the rename is a new name and brand, not a new set of rules. In particular:

Training content. The change from IEMA to ISEP does not change the courses available or what they cover. The main change is the name and logo.
Membership criteria. The process and criteria for joining, or for moving up the membership grades, have not changed because of the rename.
The organisation. It is the same professional body, with the same remit for environmental management and impact assessment alongside the wider sustainability agenda.

What has changed: names and post-nominal letters

The visible changes are the institute’s name, its logo, course titles and the letters members use after their name. For example, the foundation level course is now listed by ISEP as the Foundation Certificate in Sustainability and Environmental Management.

Member suffixes moved from IEMA to ISEP from 17 July 2025:

Grade	Old suffix	New suffix
Graduate	GradIEMA	GradISEP
Associate	AIEMA	AISEP
Practitioner	PIEMA	PISEP
Full	MIEMA	MISEP
Fellow	FIEMA	FISEP

Members were sent an updated membership certificate under the ISEP brand, along with a new LinkedIn badge, after the launch. If you are a member, update your email signature, CV and LinkedIn profile to the new letters.

Is my IEMA certificate still valid?

Nothing in ISEP’s guidance withdraws qualifications awarded under the IEMA name. The awarding organisation is the same; only its name has changed. What differs is the paperwork:

Courses completed on or after 8 January 2025: learners are automatically issued a PDF qualification certificate with the ISEP brand. A paper copy can be ordered from ISEP for a small fee.
Courses completed before 8 January 2025: ISEP cannot reissue these certificates under the new name, because the ISEP legal name did not exist at that date. Your certificate keeps the IEMA name.

If an employer or client asks for an “ISEP” qualification and your certificate says IEMA, you can simply note it as “IEMA (now ISEP)”. They are the same institute.

What it means for employers and site teams

For most organisations, the practical steps are small:

Update job descriptions, training matrices and tender documents to say “ISEP (formerly IEMA)” so nobody is confused during the changeover.
Accept certificates issued under either name. A certificate dated before 8 January 2025 will always show IEMA.
When you book environmental training, look for an ISEP accredited training partner. Some partners still show the IEMA name while the transition completes.

If you are deciding which environmental course suits a site role, our guide comparing SEATS and the IEMA Foundation course sets out who each one is for, and our guide to the difference between IEMA and NEBOSH explains how the environmental route compares with health and safety qualifications.

Taking the foundation course with Target Zero

Target Zero is an accredited IEMA (now ISEP) training partner. Our Foundation Certificate in Environmental Management runs over 5 days (40 hours) online and covers the implications of global environmental and societal trends, sustainable business principles, policy and legislation, the tools used to improve sustainability, and how to identify opportunities, risks and improvements. It finishes with a one-hour open book, multiple choice online exam, and successful learners can go on to associate membership.

Target Zero has more than 10,000 verified reviews on Reviews.io and a 4.9 rating on Trustpilot.

FAQs

Is IEMA now ISEP?

Yes. IEMA changed its name to the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP). The legal name changed in January 2025 and the new brand launched on 17 July 2025.

What is the difference between IEMA and ISEP?

There is no difference in the organisation itself. ISEP is the new name for IEMA. The courses, their content and the membership criteria did not change because of the rename.

Do I need to retake my IEMA qualification?

No. The rename does not require anyone to retake a course. Qualifications completed before 8 January 2025 keep the IEMA name on the certificate.

What are the new ISEP post-nominal letters?

GradISEP, AISEP, PISEP, MISEP and FISEP, replacing GradIEMA, AIEMA, PIEMA, MIEMA and FIEMA. Members could use them from 17 July 2025.

Has the course content changed?

ISEP says the change from IEMA to ISEP does not change the training courses available or their content. Course titles are being updated to the new name.

Why did IEMA change its name?

After a two-year review with members, the institute broadened its purpose to cover sustainability across environmental, economic and social issues. The new name reflects that wider role while keeping “environmental” at its core.

Whether you are refreshing your CV with your new letters or taking your first environmental qualification, the next step is the same. See dates and book on our Foundation Certificate in Environmental Management course page, or call 0333 444 0018 to talk to our team.

Why choose Target Zero?