Ideas & Observations
Behind the entrepreneur: Vicki Mordue, Biodiverse Consulting
July 21, 2023
Tell us about Biodiverse Consulting?
We are an environmental consultancy based in Dissington Hall, Northumberland. Primarily, we provide ecological advice to businesses and organisations in the built environment sector, future-proofing developments and helping to create spaces in which both people and nature thrive.
We have a strong reputation as innovative and creative problem solvers, and are renowned for our ability to support clients in creating and achieving genuine biodiversity gains. To put it simply, we devote ourselves to ensuring that development projects, big and small, are legally compliant and genuinely contribute towards nature’s recovery.
What inspired the brand, values, and mission?
I would say that Biodiverse Consulting was founded from my twin passions for business development and biodiversity. I genuinely believe that with the right approach, built and natural environments can work in harmony with one another – this conviction really encapsulates our brand, values and mission.
I’ve always had a passion for wildlife – my dad was an amateur wildlife photographer, so I think I get that from him! I spent a lot of my childhood in the natural world, and I have filled my adulthood with similar experiences, swimming with killer whales and volunteering in the Galapagos Islands.
I’ve worked in the environmental sector ever since I completed my masters at Sunderland University. I’ve loved every stage of my career, but in 2019, I decided it was time for a change. I could see that Biodiversity Net Gain was gaining momentum and would soon transform lots of industries – this is really what pushed me to start the business.
How did you navigate starting/building a business during the Covid-19 pandemic?
I founded Biodiverse Consulting in 2019, just before the pandemic. This meant that very early on, I had to make some significant adjustments to accommodate for the new rules and regulations.
The good thing about working in ecology is that no matter what goes on in the rest of the world, the birds and the bees carry on – and so do we! We adapted new working practices, rolled up our sleeves and got stuck in.
During this period, I think my previous experience proved to be invaluable. I’ve worked in Business Management and Managing Director roles at numerous points throughout my career. Having this knowledge to draw upon helped a lot, as did the strong network of fantastic people in the North East development sector.
What are the short and long-term plans for the business?
As with most industries, the ecology sector is currently faced with a huge skills shortage, and the North East is no exception. Despite this, we are in the midst of an exciting period of expansion, and in the short-term, we plan to grow our team, extend our client base and broaden our service offering.
Environmental Net Gain is a huge priority for us. Our approach to ecology involves collectively addressing the many different strands of the environment. A better future begins when we view people, places and biodiversity as one, and progressing this vision is a huge focus for us moving forward. Not only does this benefit nature’s recovery, it also improves the wellbeing of the wider community.
Ecology services are constantly changing and evolving. The Environment Act 2021 is due to come into force later this year, making biodiversity net gain a mandatory requirement for new developments. Over the long-term, we intend to remain at the forefront of our sector by embracing new ideas and adopting a creative and solution-focussed approach.
What advice would you give someone with a business idea?
The best advice I could give would be to make sure you’re passionate and love what you do! In my experience, a business becomes successful when you pour your heart into it, and you’ve got to love that initial idea if you are to make the sacrifices necessary to succeed.
Once you are committed to the idea, I would say go for it. Beginning Biodiverse Consulting has been the most incredible experience. Every day, I work with a wonderful, dedicated team and I truly couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.
