PRnewswire

SEAM, Inc. launches Accredited Professionals program to certify experts in ethical real estate development

Atlanta, December 17, 2024 – SEAM, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening social equity in commercial real estate, has launched the SEAM Accredited Professionals (AP) program. This program enables professionals worldwide to guide developers, property owners, and occupiers through the organization’s comprehensive certification framework, helping projects advance dignity, community well-being, and economic opportunity.

SEAM, Inc., co-founded in 2018 by Rainey Shane and Alex Demestihas, both seasoned leaders at the global real estate services firm JLL, was born from their shared vision to address social inequities through commercial real estate. Shane’s extensive work with child rescue organizations combating sex trafficking and forced labor in developing nations highlighted the urgent need to address forced labor in construction materials.

Recognizing the real estate industry’s unique capacity to drive ethical change, they envisioned a proactive approach to embedding socially responsible practices into development projects. This approach culminated in SEAM’s groundbreaking certification for commercial real estate, launched in 2022, and is rooted in social science and aligned with international standards.

“There is a need for a people-focused framework that embeds equity into real estate using clear principles rather than relying on proxy metrics that may not achieve the intended results,” said Shane. “SEAM aligns business objectives with meaningful benefits for the individuals and communities impacted by commercial real estate, including the broader supply chain. This approach creates long-term, shared value for everyone involved.”

With growing momentum behind social sustainability in commercial real estate, the SEAM Accredited Professionals (AP) program addresses the need for specialized consultants. The program equips professionals to guide projects through SEAM’s people-centered certification framework, integrating ethical practices into commercial real estate. Delivered through a self-paced online curriculum and a credential exam, the program enables participants to apply SEAM’s principles to projects worldwide, advancing dignity, community well-being, and economic opportunity.

SEAM designed the course content with instructional design support from Raccoon Gang, a team experienced in developing courses and learning content for organizations such as Harvard, NASA, and Stanford. The training modules are delivered on the OpenEdx platform, offering a familiar and accessible format for participants. Caveon’s award-winning secure exam development team created the credential exam, which ensures high quality and psychometric soundness. Administered on the Scorpion platform, the exam provides a secure and seamless testing experience for professionals worldwide.

To learn more about the SEAM AP credential and how to become accredited, visit seamcertification.org/accreditation.

About SEAM, Inc.

SEAM, Inc. is a nonprofit that created, administers, and maintains the Social Equity Assessment Method (SEAM) Standard, a global certification framework rooted in social science. SEAM Certification provides a step-by-step roadmap for commercial real estate projects to proactively incorporate equity into planning and operations. To learn more about SEAM, Inc., or the SEAM Certification, visit www.seamcertification.org or connect with SEAM on LinkedIn.