127 new employers awarded for supporting the armed forces community

30 Jul 2020 01:10 PM

The most supportive organisations for Britain’s Armed Forces such as Microsoft Ltd, Greater Manchester Police and the Post Office from both the private and public sectors were announced yesterday, 30 July 2020.

The Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Awards continues to grow in strength year on year. To win an award organisations must demonstrate that they provide 10 extra paid days leave for reservists and have supportive HR policies in place for veterans, reserves, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, spouses and partners of those serving in the armed forces. They also advocate the benefits of supporting those within the armed forces community encouraging others to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and to engage in the Employer Recognition Scheme.

2020 marks the 7th year of the awards scheme and this year 47% of winners are either micro organisations or SMEs and 38% are public organisations. This demonstrates both the growth in numbers and the depth of supportive employers who cover a wide range of sectors and company size. This year’s 127 award winners join a group of 226 winners from previous years, bringing the total to 353 organisations who can share their knowledge and experience on the benefits of employing those from the armed forces community.

Johnny Mercer, Minister for Defence People and Veterans yesterday said:

The breadth and diversity of the winners this year shows how business support for the armed forces continues to grow no matter the sector, company size or location. I am grateful for the positive attitude and flexible policies these organisations have adopted towards the defence community, which is testament to the fantastic contribution our serving personnel, veterans and their families can make to any organisation.

I am delighted that so many companies are supporting our people and that, through this scheme, we can give them the public recognition they deserve.

James Moore, The President of Vetforce UK at Salesforce yesterday said:

This award is testament to our continued commitment to support the forces community, whether this be through the provision of career transition assistance, by raising funds for military charities or championing the military community to our organisation. As a former Army Officer, I know first-hand the challenges of finding work after leaving the forces and feel honoured to work for an organisation like Salesforce which recognises the value members of this community can bring to the workplace.

Stephen Corfield, SVP and GM of Industry Sales UK&I at Salesforce added:

We are thrilled to be awarded Gold in the UK Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. At Salesforce, equality is a core tenet of how we run our business and we believe that our business and our community thrive as a result. This is a wonderful recognition of the work our Vetforce team does to build a workplace that respects and values the experience of reservists, veterans and their spouses.

David Gagen, CEO of Engage Technical Solutions yesterday said:

Engage Technical Solutions is delighted to have been awarded Gold in the Employers Recognition Scheme. This award represents a significant milestone and reflects the hard work that the team have put in to ensure Engage offers Service Leavers a route where they are fully supported to make the transition into civilian life. With service leavers from the army, navy and the RAF making up to 90% of our Delivery Team Engage strives for a welcoming environment tailored to each individual’s needs.

With a mainly defence and security focused client base, Engage is well placed to use the skills and experience that the Service Leavers bring with them and quickly enables them to develop new skills and enjoy new experiences delivering for our clients.

Full list of winners:

Read the full list of Employer Recognition Scheme Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners.