Investments in our communities are pivotal to our success and diverse experiences make us stronger. Flexibility is at the core of life at RSM as employees are encouraged to pursue their personal passions while also being successful in their work.
In 2014, we established the RSM US Foundation to enhance the giving that was already happening in our offices across the country. A tax-exempt public charity, our foundation is dedicated to building tomorrow's middle market leaders. In fiscal 2022, our people continued to give back to our local communities through existing programs that provide support to organizations committed to creating stable environments for youth and enhancing educational outcomes.
Here are some stewardship highlights from fiscal 2022:
Be sure to check out the 2021 RSM US Foundation Giving Report to learn more about our stewardship impact.
Every day since our firm was founded in 1926, we have had a focus on our people—we understand that they are what make us successful. Over our nearly 100-year history of meeting the needs of our clients, our communities and our people, RSM has embraced the power of being understood, and today we seek to increase diversity, equity and inclusion—within our firm, within our profession and within the communities we serve.
This means we make intentional choices to create an environment where diversity and inclusion thrive, because we understand that the innovative solutions we all need to succeed come through diversity of thinking. And diverse thinking happens when we bring our unique perspectives, insights, experiences and talents to the table.
At RSM, we have created and continue to sustain an environment of inclusion for all. As our Evolving Mosaic demonstrates, we embrace that people and experience shape our progress and while there is much work ahead of us, this year we received numerous third-party endorsements for our efforts and various recognitions for how inclusion is making a difference at RSM. Examples include being named as a Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®, being named by Seramount (formerly Working Mother Media) as one of its Best Companies for Dads and one of its 100 Best Companies overall, and by being among the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion by Disability Equality Index.
We continue to take proactive steps to ensure that our commitment to inclusion is integrated into business and sustainability moving forward. For example, over the past year, we joined more than 80 other organizations in signing Disability: IN’s CEO Letter on Disability Inclusion. We also launched the Middle Market Collaborative for Understanding, a group of middle market business leaders that comes together regularly to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion.
In addition to our full-time team dedicated to culture, diversity and inclusion, our 12 employee-led employee network groups (ENGs) play a key role in fostering an inclusive workplace culture and proactively addressing issues important to our people. For example, for a number of years, we’ve honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s commitment to service through our annual Season of Service, led by our national African American and Canadian Excellence (AACE) ENG. This past year, we raised $54,878 through cash donations and had nearly 332 volunteers donate more than 780 hours of their time.
Our ENGs were also highlighted in a series of “Inclusion Starts with I” videos where our managing partner and CEO engaged in question-and-answer sessions with our national group leaders and members. Our CEO also holds a quarterly CEO Courageous Conversation, inviting direct and open communication between our workforce and leadership in candid, inclusive conversations.
Our investment in the diverse workplace of the future through scholarship support for students from underrepresented populations is helping to ensure our ongoing success by supporting the RSM US Foundation’s mission of building tomorrow’s middle market leaders. This year, we also launched the RSM Excellence Academy, a multiyear, multifaceted early identification professional development and skill-building program for college students majoring in accounting, business technology and related fields. The academy teaches students about careers in professional services and introduces them to RSM’s workplace culture.
At RSM, we remain committed to our journey toward greater equity and inclusion in our society as evidenced by our CDI activities, our racial understanding task force, our CEO Action Fellows for Racial Equity and more.
Learn more about diversity, equity and inclusion at RSM here.
Since 2016, many of our people have seized the opportunity to submit their creative and unique applications to RSM’s Pursue Your Passion program. Each applicant shared their dream for a chance at $10,000 plus additional time off to pursue a passion project they might not otherwise be able to realize. Meet our 2021 winners and learn more about their inspiring dreams.
RSM is committed to enhancing sustainability within our organization and in our communities by reducing waste, electricity usage and greenhouse gas emissions, and inspiring others to do the same.
In fiscal 2022, RSM increased our focus on environmental sustainability. We completed a baseline environmental impact analysis, formed an employee engagement committee and established an environmental advisory board.
On Earth Day, the employee engagement committee hosted our inaugural RSM Trash Dash where employees raced together to clean up trash in their local communities.
As we look ahead to fiscal 2023 and beyond, we are working to formalize our environmental objectives, metrics, key performance indicators and reporting practices to ultimately continue to better our firm, our people, our communities and our planet.
