Specialist Areas
Certification, standards and assurance systems
Independent credible certification can confer much greater confidence in the minds of customers, and other stakeholders, and ensure that policies are implemented. However, there are many pitfalls that we can help you avoid. We have extensive experience in credible and cost-effective certification and assurance with numerous environmental and social systems. MRA can help you develop certification sampling systems that combine risk management, high confidence with low cost.
Climate change and credible offsetting
With extensive experience in the mechanisms, causes and politics of climate change, we are well placed to help you reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and to cost-effectively offset those emissions you cannot avoid.
Monitoring, evaluation and learning
Whether you wish to develop a Theory of Change, or a robust M&E Plan, this is an area where we have extensive experience with initiatives large and small, all designed to improve effectiveness at minimal cost.
Research & survey design & management
To get good value from surveys is more difficult than may first be imagined. We have helped many clients with research, survey and interview design to get useful outputs.
Risk and opportunity management
Risk management can be a very effective tool to maximise efficiency and avoid problems. We have extensive experience of tailoring risk management to individual clients’ circumstances.
Quality management systems (QMS) and environmental management systems (EMS)
Few businesses these days can afford to be without a QMS or an EMS. We can help you choose the best type for your needs, or design one specifically for you, and then provide ongoing support in its implementation. The economic rewards can be very considerable indeed.
Programme and project management
MRA can offer all the guidance or implementation required to ensure a project or full programme of work has clear objectives, realistic implementation and a successful conclusion.
Sustainable procurement & supply chains
Improving the environmental and economic credentials of your products and services often means knowing far more about how materials have been produced and processed before they reach you. We can help with careful procurement and management of your supply chain.
Funding for voluntary sector initiatives
We have raised very substantial sums for initiatives, and would be pleased to find out what you’re hoping to achieve.
Behaviour change
Providing the rationale and the means for environmental or ethical behaviour change is not necessarily enough. Individual motivation is also required. We can help assess target audiences, and develop effective means to bring about behaviour change, especially using highly effective community-based social marketing.
Waste prevention
With many years' experience in this area we can help you research, plan and implement a cost-saving waste prevention initiative on almost any scale. Please also see Beyond Recycling.
Greening travel and tourism
Travel and tourism can be a great force for good, yet can cause massive environmental and socioeconomic damage. Alongside tackling transport impacts, the big issues are local procurement, engagement with the local community and with guests, employment conditions, and minimising water and energy consumption and waste production at the destination. We offer specialist knowledge in certification and standards, reducing and monitoring impacts, supply chain greening, and working with communities.
Plant conservation and sustainable horticulture
These are issues in which Mike Read Associates has a particularly well-established expertise base and considerable practical and theoretical experience. We would be pleased to help you.
Water conservation
As extraction of fresh water begins to exceed supply in ever more locations, water efficiency and equity are ever more urgent issues for business and communities to deal with. We offer expertise in water reduction and behaviour change research.
