David Stockdale FCIOB awarded honorary life membership

David Stockdale became a Chartered Member of CIOB in December 1982 and a Fellow in 1990. He was an active ambassador from 2008 to 2018, primarily focusing on sustainability issues, and is an enthusiastic proponent of the United Nations sustainability goals relating to the built and natural environment. David has promoted the goals as a framework for collaboration and cooperation in global markets. 

David was one of the first CIOB members to become a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) and has been a strong advocate of the qualification and engagement with the Society for the Environment. In 2010, David became Joint Chair of the Professional Review Panel for the CEnv qualification. David was also a Professional Review panel assessor at this time. 

In 2021, he joined the External Affairs Advisory Board as an expert advisor to the board on sustainability and the UN sustainability goals. In this capacity, he has helped shape CIOB policy and objectives in this critical area which is now a key theme of the CIOB corporate plan. 

Sustainability guidance 

On environmental sustainability, David has authored several important published articles since 2022. These include articles on Environmental Psychology in 2023, Climate Change Coaching and the wider aspirations of the UN sustainability goals and how these are applied within our sector. 

David has contributed to several CIOB guides and codes including the Code of Practise for Project Management for the Built environment, (6th Edition) in 2022.

He also played a key role in developing and critiquing CIOB’s Carbon Action 2050 website and resources including work with the Chief Construction Advisor to government at the time (Paul Morrell) whose strategy was fixed on carbon neutral goals. 

I have been very appreciative of David’s knowledge of upcoming public and political issues regarding sustainability and many other pertinent issues which has helped put the CIOB at the forefront of policy development and interrelated work with other professional bodies including the Society for the Environment as an example. 

Also, David was instrumental in helping me develop CIOB’s response to the work involved in the Construction Industries Council (CIC) launch of the professions Action Plan, ensuring that the professions voice was heard in terms of the Built Environment Day at COP and coordinated in conjunction with the Construction Leadership Council and an example of true collaboration across the main industry professions. This represents a significant shift in establishing measurable deliverables that built environment professionals are to meet in delivering net zero within the construction industry and was part of the Build Environment Day at COP. 

I always appreciate David’s ability to both challenge thinking and ensure that CIOB is having its voice heard.