Our commitment to the Armed Forces

We recognise the contribution that Service personnel, reservists, veterans, the cadet movement, and military families make to our organisation, our community and to the country. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant.

Employment support to members of the Armed Forces Community

• We support Reservists by offering them additional days of annual leave (paid) to carry out their reservist annual training duties. 
• We support the employment of Service spouses, partners, and dependants, for example by offering short notice leave to those whose partners are sent on deployment. 
• Most of our hiring opportunities are on a hybrid/remote basis, which benefits the mobile Armed Forces Community, especially partners and spouses.

Promoting the Armed Forces

We will actively promote and support the Armed Forces to our staff, our customers, and our partners. 

Communications, engagement, and outreach

• We will provide training, such as classroom-based learning, e-learning, and “on the job” training for our staff.
• We will promote the Armed Forces Covenant, the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme and our support for the Armed Forces Community to our staff, customers/service users, supply chains and the wider public.
• We will support and/or promote Armed Forces events, such as Armed Forces Day/Week, Reserves Day, the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance activities.
• We will use the Covenant and Employer Recognition Scheme logos in our communications and marketing.
• We will establish an internal Armed Forces Network within our People Leadership Group, to enable staff members with an Armed Forces connection to meet and support one another and provide feedback to us as an organisation.
• We will appoint an Armed Forces Champion within our organisation to act as a focal point for organising and promoting support for the Armed Forces Community.
• We will engage with any local Armed Forces presence – for example, local Army units, reservist units, RAF stations and naval bases.
• We will develop relationships and work collaboratively with other organisations supporting the Covenant and the Armed Forces Community in our locality.

Health and healthcare

• We will provide access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), providing 24/7 general and mental health support and advice to our staff.
• We will provide access to our Employee Benefits Package, which includes access to our discount’s portal.
• We will provide access to Mental Health First Aiders who are MHFA England certified who are available to support when required.

Commercial

We will ensure the Armed Forces Community has fair access to our services and is not put at a disadvantage by their military service.

Education We will promote training and further/higher education opportunities for Service leavers, ex-Service personnel, and their families.

Civic responsibilities We will promote and take part in remembrance and other ceremonial activities.