A Year of Growth: Celebrating One Year of Approvals at E2M
When we launched our Approvals and Compliance discipline last year, the vision was clear: build a team that could seamlessly integrate with our ecology-led approach, offer specialist advice across sectors, and deliver better outcomes for clients. A strategic, nimble, and collaborative model.
Fast forward 12 months, and that vision is in full flight. A team of nine approvals and compliance specialists now supports projects across Queensland’s infrastructure, renewables, gas, and mining sectors. It’s been a year of purposeful growth, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and laying the groundwork for even greater impact.
We spoke to Susan – Principal Approvals Consultant and discipline lead – to reflect on the journey so far and where we’re headed next.
A Collaborative Approach
“Approvals work is high-risk, time-sensitive, and increasingly complex. Success relies on strategy, agility, and deep knowledge – not just of the statutory framework, but of the environments you’re operating in. That’s where E2M’s model stands apart,” Susan explains. “We’ve got the largest team of Ecologists in Queensland, and we’re constantly sharing knowledge, writing together, learning from each other. It’s a rare luxury in our space,” Susan explains. “The scale of collaboration gives our clients certainty and de-risks project delivery.”
One standout project is the Woodstock Renewable Energy Hub Project, a large, complex solar project where E2M’s integrated team guided project definition and approvals documentation development through unexpected finds in the field, design pivots, and legislative shifts.
“Our Principal Ecologists, Meredith and Chays, were involved from the outset, working closely with myself and the client to embed environmental considerations into the project’s development. Together, we navigated the balance between project objectives and ecological outcomes, aligning with expectations from both the Commonwealth and State.”
Engaging with ecologists early in the environmental approvals process is a strategic move that can significantly reduce approval timeframes by effectively mitigating impacts to biodiversity value.
Where People and Projects Thrive
The team officially launched in July 2024, building on early momentum from strategic hires and strong client demand.
“We set clear goals – the kind of work we wanted to do, and the kind of people we needed to do it,” Susan explains. “We committed to building capacity before the demand hit. We hire for culture and values – people who are curious, kind, accountable, and ready to pitch in. That’s why this team gels: everyone’s different, but there’s a lot of trust, and a lot of genuine respect.”
From report writing and legislative strategy to likelihood-of-occurrence assessments, team members are expanding their skill sets by working across disciplines and sectors.
“At E2M we support training and the capacity building of our team. Our graduate and professional cohort are supported in working in cross disciplinary roles to support project delivery,” says Susan. “That kind of exposure is just not common in other firms.”
The Road Ahead
One year in, and the team is just getting started. With new work in renewables, mining infrastructure, and a growing pipeline of integrated ecology–approvals projects.
“We’re proud of what we’ve built, and even more excited about what’s next,” Susan says. “We’ve got big plans. We’re recruiting now for approvals specialists and generalists who want to shape how this team grows”
As the Approvals and Compliance team marks its first year, we’re celebrating the progress made – and the exciting opportunities ahead.