Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Forest Stewardship Council US Names RMS as Inaugural FSC President’s Award Winner
FSC US President Sarah Billig announced the first-ever President’s Award at the organization’s 2024 North America Conference on Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee. Resource Management Service, LLC (RMS), one of the world's leading managers of forest investments for institutional investors, was selected as the winner. This inaugural President’s Award, an evolution of the annual FSC Leadership Awards, was created to give top-level recognition to an outstanding organization at the forefront of sustainable forestry.
“We are proud to be recognized in such a meaningful way by FSC, one of the world’s most trusted forest certification authorities,” said Alex Hinson, President and CEO, RMS. “The President’s Award is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our leadership, employees, and foresters, whose hard work and passion have made this achievement possible; and our investors who see value in upholding the highest standards in forest stewardship and sustainability.”
In Sarah’s presentation she noted, "Sometimes things just strike you. I walked out into RMS's forest and immediately realized the amazing pace and success of their conservation and restoration work. Along with their incredibly knowledgeable staff, I knew this was a cut above."
All RMS land is certified to rigorous third-party standards, an independent, voluntary process that evaluates the management of the forest for environmental, social, and economic objectives. Approximately 40 percent or 900,000 acres in Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina are certified to the FSC US Forest Management Standard. RMS Senior Vice President, Forest Sustainability, Jimmy Bullock accepted the award on behalf of the company and noted, “Being the first recipient of the FSC US President’s Award is a prestigious honor, and as it represents the commitment of all RMS employees to responsible forest management, I am proud to accept it on their behalf. As a company founded by professional foresters almost 75 years ago, the stewardship ethos they began continues as a core value for RMS today.”
The FSC Leadership Awards recognize excellence in the use of FSC-certified products, materials, and commitment to responsible forest management across industries, as well as in advocacy, conservation and individual leadership in the FSC community.