Demand for experienced ecologists is high in the United Kingdom, driven largely by the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) legislation, but also by factors such as stricter requirements regarding bats. Now, Ecogain’s Alexander Zackrisson is set to travel to Sussex, UK, to strengthen the team at the company’s British sister company, The Ecology Co-op.
Knowledge exchange in various fields
Collaboration within Myllium is growing steadily in several areas, such as AI, technology, and joint customer offerings. Alexander’s secondment to The Ecology Co-op is a concrete example of how expertise can be directed to where it is needed within the group.
“Demand for experienced ecologists in the UK is higher than ever, and being part of Myllium allows us to bring in the right expertise exactly when we need it. Having Alexander join us is a real asset—both for our team and for our clients,” says Paul Whitby, founder of The Ecology Co-op.
For Alexander, it’s a way to further strengthen his expertise in a country whose environmental efforts he’s already familiar with. He completed his master’s degree at the University of Oxford last year and is proficient in both the working methods and the language.
“Working in another country and seeing what works the same way and what’s different is a way to both broaden and deepen my knowledge. I’m also curious to see how the Biodiversity Net Gain requirements work in practice, not just as a political issue,” says Alexander Zackrisson.
A partnership that benefits customers
The United Kingdom has a great deal of expertise in bat conservation and is a step ahead of Sweden and the EU, both in terms of legislation and practice, with BNG having played a decisive role in this development. Ecogain, for its part, is known for its highly advanced GIS solutions and for a bird team whose methodological expertise is so solid that it is often regarded as a benchmark.
“Our different circumstances and strengths are something we can learn from, and use to identify benefits, opportunities for development, and potential for improvement on both sides,” says Alexander Zackrisson.
The greatest value for customers lies in the exchange of knowledge itself, and in the fact that the companies can jointly take on projects of a different scale and complexity. With access to international and complementary expertise, the group can meet needs that would be difficult for a single company to address on its own.
“It’s also an advantage for our international customers that we now have resources in several countries, and the quality follows suit. If you trust Ecogain, you can trust The Ecology Co-op—it’s the same group and the same customer promise,” says Alexander Zackrisson.
