Employer Leadership Award

This award recognizes an employer of SAF members that demonstrates leadership by consistently and significantly supporting their employees’ participation in SAF and broader engagement in the profession. Note that this employer may or may not be an SAF member him/herself.   

The award includes a $500 honorarium for the recipient’s training and development fund, one complimentary SAF convention registration, and up to $500 to offset convention travel expenses. The award is presented at the SAF National Convention.

Eligibility
Nominees must be employers of SAF members, and may be any type of organization, public or private, or any subunit thereof that has primary headquarters in the United States. Nominations may come from within the organization. 

Criteria
Evaluation will be based on meeting the following criteria:

Leadership
Nominees shall be acknowledged organizational leaders who have demonstrated leadership and initiative in supporting their employees’ engagement and active involvement in SAF and the broader profession at multiple levels.

Impact
As a direct result of their employee support activities, nominees shall have had a significant positive effect on employee participation in SAF, including support of employees taking leadership roles within the Society. Evidence of impact may include but is not limited to documentation of current employee SAF membership relative to the total number of natural resource professionals employed by the organization.

Quality
Nominees shall have demonstrated strict adherence to high professional standards. Evidence of quality may include but is not limited to the receipt of awards or recognition from other organizations or groups.

Level of Activity
Nominees shall have a demonstrated record of accomplishments related to employee support of SAF activities and involvement. Evaluation of nominee activity will include the following key elements: 

• An established, documented employer support policy and/or procedures that is well understood across the organization and can be effectively utilized and referenced by employees on a regular basis. These documents typically provide clear parameters of support and set expectations for all employees; 
• From the top of the organization down through the managers and supervisors in the chain of command, the policy is articulated and implemented consistently and professional involvement is encouraged; 
• The top forestry/natural resource leaders of the organization actually participate and are involved in SAF themselves: attending meetings, serving as officers, making presentations, and generally “leading by example.”
• An established, documented employer policy that supports and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion within their organization, including a commitment to equal opportunity employment.

Nominations
Your nomination packet must include:

• A letter from the nominator demonstrating that the nominee meets the award criteria. Each of the criterion must be addressed separately in a brief paragraph.
• Letters of endorsement, not to exceed three (in addition to the nomination letter), on the nominee's achievements with the award criteria. At least one of these letters must be from an SAF member that is an employee of the nominee, detailing specifically how the nominee has empowered him/her, personally, to serve SAF and the profession.
• A brief description of the organization being nominated, not to exceed one page.
• A current organization logo of a minimum 300 dpi.

Click here to view all Employer Leadership Award Recipients