Digby Wells Environmental

Digby Wells Environmental describes itself as a multidisciplinary, employee-owned consultancy delivering environmental and social solutions across Africa and beyond, and as one of Africa’s largest consultancies of its kind. Digby Wells was established in 1995 and works from Johannesburg for mining, energy and infrastructure clients.

Registered name

Digby Wells Environmental

Type

Private company (environmental and social consulting)

Fields funded

Environmental sciences, from hydrology and aquatic ecology to GIS and community development

Website

digbywells.com

From impact assessments to life after mining

Digby Wells covers the whole life of a project. Digby Wells prepares environmental and social impact assessments to international standards, sets up environmental management systems and monitoring, and plans progressive rehabilitation, soil and wetland science, and social transition strategies for communities facing life after a mine closes.

Digby Wells also advises on environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting. Digby Wells aligns South African laws with international frameworks such as the IFC Performance Standards, the Equator Principles and sustainability reporting standards, and designs programmes that site teams can implement and measure. Digby Wells says ESG only works when it connects the boardroom to the mine pit and the community.

The Digby Wells bursary

The Digby Wells bursary funds students in the environmental sciences the firm employs, from hydrology and aquatic ecology to geographic information systems (GIS) and community development. The 2027 bursary listing is open on Digby Wells’ recruitment portal, but Digby Wells does not publish a closing date. Digby Wells closes the listing once enough applications arrive, usually before the end of the year.

Researching Digby Wells before applying

Because the listing can close without warning, apply as soon as possible. Before writing a motivation, read Digby Wells’ service pages and choose the area that matches your studies, whether water, soils and wetlands, biodiversity, heritage or social impact. Explaining how your field contributes to a real consulting service shows Digby Wells that you understand its work.

Environmental consulting involves fieldwork, report writing and working with communities and mining companies, so mention any fieldwork, research projects or community work you have done. Ask Digby Wells whether bursars complete vacation work at its offices or on field projects, and whether the bursary leads to a graduate position.

Students interested in employee-owned businesses can ask how Digby Wells’ ownership model affects staff, which is an unusual feature among South African consultancies.

Environmental science students can compare Digby Wells with other funders on our Science Bursaries page.