ENR Ranking: WSP Reaches New Heights As One Of World’s Largest Environmental Consultancies

WSP has been confirmed as one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing environmental consultancies in Engineering News-Record’s 2020 Top 200 Environmental Firms ranking. We now have the sixth largest environmental consulting business in the world, up from 16^th place in 2019 and 38^th in 2018, building on 10 years of consistent growth.

ENR’s annual ranking is one of the most important benchmarks for the consultancy sector, based on global revenue during the previous calendar year. The big leap up the table for the second year running reflects the progress we’re making towards our ambition to be the premier global environmental consultancy as outlined in the strategic plan.

We now employ 7,000 environmental consultants worldwide and our 2019 revenues were $1.72 billion, up 14 per cent from 2018. Our improved 2020 ranking is mainly due to strong 2019 organic growth of eight per cent, with the full benefits of key acquisitions still to be felt, said André-Martin Bouchard, Global Director of Environment.

“We have been able to leverage good market conditions through a client-centric, collaborative culture, and by developing high-performing teams, as well as the successful integration of previous acquisitions,” said Bouchard. “We expect to continue delivering strong performance despite the challenges presented by COVID-19. Integration activity is progressing well and we are helping clients to respond to the crisis by accelerating ESG programs, leveraging the green stimulus packages on offer, managing our clients’ liabilities and innovating new platforms for community engagement.”

Strategic expansion of our high-quality advisory services — supporting clients with challenges such as climate change, resiliency and pollution — helped us enter ENR’s top 10 for Consulting/Studies for the first time, entering the rankings in fourth place. This is off the back of high-profile projects including the Transmountain Pipeline, our extensive Alberta site rehabilitation program, climate lens assessments for numerous key clients, ever-expanding work in the water and wastewater sector, and client support around climate-related financial disclosures to secure funding during COVID-19.

Our expertise is also reflected in other new rankings, including fourth for Air Quality/Clean Energy, 13th for Hazardous Waste, and 18th for Wastewater. 

“We continue to build a great group of experts across the world, to continue supporting our clients and building a truly unique firm,” said Bouchard. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the environmental teams around the world for the fantastic work that they do and look forward to reaching new heights with the next year.”