Our Experience

Our Experience

Mike and Julia bring a wealth of experience and passion to Quest, something that they are ready to share with you and your organisation.

Mike Goodfellow-Smith PIEMA; FRSA; MIIRSM; MSc; BA; DipEM; MSI

Mike developed a passion for the environment and sustainability working on countryside management and leading practical conservation projects when at university. His career started in business development and company start-up for Groundwork’s environmental business services. In the ten years he spent in Groundwork and consultancy, he progressed to being a national director.

He then spent two years as the Director of Business Affairs at Forum for the Future where he worked on policies for the integration of sustainable development into the public and private sectors, practical sustainable development projects with global corporate partners, for example Unilever, and corporate partner recruitment.

Quest was established in 1996 and developed into a sustainability consultancy business with several staff, covering work such as CSR reporting, developing and auditing integrated management systems and supporting organisational cultural change.

While Mike’s work as a sustainability consultant with Quest carried on in the background he took on the role of Assistant Director of Strategy at Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency. Mike worked for Yorkshire Forward for four years and took the region to the forefront of Carton Capture and Storage. He developed strategy documents on energy, waste, resource efficiency, transport, green infrastructure and regional spatial planning. Mike has developed a number of sustainable construction projects throughout the region; and led the region in the area of sustainable development.

After leaving Yorkshire Forward, Mike spent two years as a Director of URS Corporation, a multinational engineering consultancy, before returning to the Quest sustainability consultancy full-time.

Lately, he’s been focusing on training, coaching and research projects.

 

Throughout his career, Mike has developed and implemented hundreds of environmental management systems and conducted a large number of energy audits.

Mike’s strengths

Mike is an excellent strategic thinker. He quickly understands a situation or organisation and is able to make recommendations for change, in line with the identified strategy. He has always been at the cutting edge of sustainable development, able to identify future priorities before many others. He is highly creative and innovative, and has a great skill of really inspiring people to take positive action.

Mike has a passion and a talent for sharing his knowledge, experience and skills in a way that’s interesting, informative and engaging.

Call Mike on 07966 283280

Julia Goodfellow-Smith MIEMA; CEnv; DipSBP; BSc; FRSA

Julia’s career started at the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (now TCV) leading practical conservation projects, supporting local groups of volunteers and leading head office functions.

Her next roles were in management for HSBC where she developed her analysis and negotiation skills as well as managing teams within the bank.

Julia went on to become self-employed with Expense Reduction Analysts, helping companies manage and reduce their costs. It was during this stage of her career that Julia started conducting energy audits as an expense reduction service for clients. Julia has helped companies save millions of pounds through analysis of their needs, negotiation with suppliers and energy efficiency.

Julia became a director of the Quest sustainability consultancy in 2010. In this role, she has continued conducting energy audits and also developed an expertise in environmental and energy management systems, supporting over 100 organizations in the last year alone.
Julia is a Chartered Environmentalist, Full Member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (MIEMA), a Lead EMS Auditor of IEMA and a member of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management. She also holds an IEMA Diploma in Sustainable Business Practice.

Julia’s strengths

Julia is excellent at turning an idea or strategy into practical action and making things happen. Supporting this, she has strong project management skills. She is very good at detailed analysis, but also has a great deal of creativity – an unusual and useful combination.

 

Julia believes that auditing and working on management systems should be fun as well as valuable. Clients often express surprise at how much they have enjoyed an audit, even when the results aren’t what they wanted.

 

“Julia is an outstanding auditor and whilst the outcome of the audit was not what we wanted, it is what was needed to develop the business and I cannot thank Julia enough.”
Julia has a strong work ethic and a can do attitude which delivers great results every time.
Call Julia on 07904 389889

Other interests…

  • Mike and Julia are both Fellows of the RSA, a charity dedicated to solving social issues.
  • Mike and Julia are both actively involved in the local community. Mike held a leadership role in Malvern Community Forest for a number of years. Julia has also active in the charity, as well as being on the committee of her Women’s Institute.
  • Julia is a Past President of JCI Leeds and a Senator of Junior Chamber International, a voluntary organisation dedicated to helping young people become active citizens and create lasting positive change. Mike is also an Honorary Member of JCI Leeds.
  • Mike and Julia enjoy being active in the outdoors – no happier than when we are working in our woodland, growing our own fruit and vegetables, walking on the hills or re-building a dry stone wall.
  • Spending time with and helping family and friends is very important to us and we also love watching films and going to the theatre.

Our clients benefit from our complementary skill-sets and the strength and depth this brings to our offering. Call us now to find out how you could benefit.