Defence

Gold standard employers to increase Armed Forces support

Posted 19 January 2017

A new group of Armed Forces-friendly employers, who will collaborate to further develop the aims of the Armed Forces Covenant and tighten the ties between Defence and employers, has now launched.

Above: Members of the Gold Award Alumni Group at the launch event at HMS President, London, on 18 January 2017. Ex-Royal Marine and Rio 2016 Paralympian Joe Townsend, who is sponsored by Atkins and spoke at the event, appears front and centre.

The Alumni Group is open to all UK organisations that hold a Gold Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) award. Its members are part of a wider community of over 1,300 companies from the private and public sector that have signed the Covenant and are working to ensure that serving or former members of the Armed Forces and their families get a fair deal. The Armed Forces Covenant relies on the support of the wider community to achieve its aims and business is a key part of that.

The creation of the group has been undertaken in partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MoD), including the Defence Relationship Management and Employer Engagement teams, although it will be led and driven by business.

The Alumni Group will work closely with MoD to promote the Armed Forces Covenant, champion Armed Forces engagement with employers and provide an informed and influential stakeholder sounding board for new initiatives that build on the good work already achieved.

Design, engineering and project management consultancy Atkins, who secured their Gold award in 2015, proposed the creation of the Alumni Group. The company’s Armed Forces champion, Chris Jones, an RAF reservist, is serving as the Alumni Group’s initial chairperson. This chairperson role will rotate around member organisations in the future.

Chris explained: “This exciting initiative brings together a network of gold-standard employers that have already delivered over and above their Armed Forces Covenant pledges, and now want to do even more.

“The Alumni Group will provide member organisations with an opportunity to maintain the momentum we’ve all generated in our drive to achieve Gold Award status and to use that energy to support and inspire other like-minded employers to greater achievement as well as experience the benefits of the partnership with Defence.”

Brigadier Mark van der Lande CBE, Head of Reserves, Reserve Forces and Cadets, commented: “We commend this initiative from our Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold award winners - another great example of how employers are putting the Armed Forces Covenant into action to support our Forces. The Employer Recognition Scheme Gold award winners have raised the bar for employer support and are well placed to share best practice and inspire other employers to follow their lead and experience the benefits of doing so.”