RSM: Putting People at the Forefront of Sustainability

Operating as one of the largest accountancy professional services networks by revenue in the world, RSM prides itself on being a powerhouse of collaborative innovation for middle market companies looking to capture a competitive edge.

Founded in 1964, RSM strives to be the middle market leader in sustainable business practices to drive a positive future – not just for the company itself, but for its clients, colleagues and communities too. 

“Every action we take is intentional to support RSM’s evolution to be the most compelling, digital and global organisation serving middle market leaders around the world,” says Brandon Rucker, Chair of the RSM US LLP Board of Directors.

“Our values are the bedrock of our organisation. Respect and uncompromising integrity, succeeding together, excellence in all we do, impactful innovation and stewardship guide our day-to-day actions and serve as our North Star as we build strategies for the future. They have endured and guided our success for nearly 100 years, and I am confident they will sustain us through any changes that come our way.”

RSM delivers long-term value for its clients and stakeholders by maximising its positive impact on society and the environment and sharing progress on those efforts to deliver that value.

The company’s Fiscal Year 2024 Impact Report is aptly titled ‘The Power of Progress’, and explores the company’s development in areas including ESG. 

ESG at RSM

ESG is built into the foundations of RSM – the company believes that people drive success, and embeds that into its attitudes towards both external and internal stakeholders. 

The company says: “At RSM, we believe in the value of every person. Our culture embodies inclusiveness and understanding, empowering our people to be themselves. Together, our individual talents and diverse perspectives enhance the unique insights we provide to clients.”

Highlights from the annual report include RSM joining the United Nations Global Compact initiative, earning a bronze medal from EcoVadis, being recognised with a bronze US President’s Volunteer Service Award for its support of Junior Achievement USA and raising US$5.7m to support children and families in its communities through the annual Power of Love campaign.

The report says: “We are proud of the progress we have made—and continue to make—around our work related to environmental sustainability, inclusion, and labour and human rights, and we are honoured to be recognized for our commitment to our communities.

“We continue to report on our efforts related to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) framework, using select metrics from the professional and commercial services industry standard.”

Social: The ‘S’ of ESG

RSM strives to be an equitable and inclusive firm that prioritises nurturing diverse talent. This is evident in the company’s workforce, but also extends to its sustainability strategy, charity work and wider company planning.

RSM’s social strategy focuses on eight pillars:

• Culture, diversity & inclusion
• RSM US Foundation
• RSM Talent experience
• Employee network groups
• Power of Love
• Pursue Your Passion
• Middle Market Collaborative
• Higher education

“One of our firm values is stewardship, which we define as acting responsibly,” Ty Beasley, Chief Talent Officer, RSM, explains in the report. 

“And our more than 17,000 people live that value every day. Stewardship is all about leaving things better than you found them. It’s about making progress to better our firm, our communities, our people and our world. 

“There is no destination—only forward progress. There’s always something more we can do.

“With stewardship in mind, we continue to double down on our commitment to sustainability. This year, we formed the ESG steering committee, which I have the honour of chairing while working alongside our CEO and other executive leaders of our firm. 

“Bringing together governance for our inclusion efforts, environmental initiatives, community-giving platforms and more, is helping us drive positive change for our people, clients, communities and the firm overall.”

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