Environmental Consulting Services

Environmental Consulting Services

Brief Excerpt from Industry Overview Chapter:

Companies in this industry provide advice and assistance to businesses and organizations on environmental issues. Major US-based companies include Tetra Tech and Veolia North America, as well as the environmental and consulting divisions of engineering and construction firms such as AECOM, Bechtel, and Jacobs. Other major companies outside the US include Arcadis (the Netherlands), ERM and RPS Group (both based in the UK), and Golder (Canada).

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by the needs of businesses and government agencies to comply with new, existing, or anticipated environmental laws and regulations. The profitability of an individual company depends on its ability to accurately predict project costs and to secure contracts with large organizations such as the US government. Large firms have the advantage of providing a wide range of environmental expertise and can, thus, offer "one-stop shopping" for clients. Small firms are able to compete by specializing in regional markets or particular areas of expertise. The US industry is fragmented: the 50 largest firms account for about 30% of industry revenue.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major environmental consulting services include environmental assessment (determining the environmental condition of a particular site), site remediation (cleaning up polluted areas), natural resource management (strategies for managing a particular environment), environmental auditing (determining an organization's environmental impact), waste management, and environmental policy development. Environmental assessment services for water, air, and soil account for about 60% of US industry revenue, followed by environmental consulting services (15%),...