London, 29th September 2022, 21 employers from across East Anglia and Greater London were recognised for their outstanding support to the UK’s Armed Forces at a ceremony held at the Royal Automobile Club in London. They all received the Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award. These were presented by Rear Admiral Phil Hally.
The Minister for Defence People and Veterans, Leo Docherty said: “ Regardless of size, location or sector, employing members of the Armed Forces community is good for businesses.
These awards recognise the outstanding support for our Armed Forces from employers across the UK and I would like to thank and congratulate each and everyone.”
To win an award, organisations must provide 10 extra paid days leave for Reservists and have supportive HR policies in place for veterans, Reserves, and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, as well as spouses and partners of those serving in the Armed Forces. Furthermore, they must display a consistency in advocating for defence people throughout their business and to their supply chain.
Peter Germain, Chief Executive of Greater London Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Greater London, who organise the awards on behalf of MoD, said:
”These awards are great for the organisations concerned but also great for the operational capability of the UK’s Armed Forces.
Their commitment helps the combat-readiness of the reserves, enhancing the operational capability of the Armed Forces as a whole.”
Organisations must also advocate the benefits of supporting those within the Armed Forces community by encouraging others to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and engage in the Employer Recognition Scheme.
This year, organisations include Councils, charities, blue light services, retail and insurance companies are among those that have been recognised. Of the winners, 44% are either micro-organisations or small and medium sized enterprises, while 33% are public organisations. This demonstrates both the growth in numbers and the depth of supportive employers, demonstrating the wide range of organisations offering support to the military community regardless of size, sector or location.
For further information contact:
For Greater London – Apoorv Shrotriya | Head of Communications
For East Anglia – Sarah Bennett | Communications & Business Development Manager
Award recipients on Thursday 29th September
| East Anglia Regional Organisations 11 | 1. Breckland District Council 2. CYSIAM Ltd 3. Essex County Council 4. Essex Police 5. Fortis Vision Limited 6. I&C Limited trading as Red7Marine 7. iCARP CIC 8. Instalcom Ltd 9. Sopra Steria 10. Tendring District Council 11. Walking with the Wounded |
| Greater London Regional Organisations 10 | 1. Ethos Group Holdings Ltd 2. Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust 3. Nimbus Ninety 4. Ogletree Deakins International LLP 5. Olive Group (UK) Ltd 6. Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 7. Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust 8. Silverseal 9. Standard Chartered UK 10. Templar Executives Ltd |
Notes to editors:
- The Employer Recognition Scheme was launched in 2014 by then Prime Minister David Cameron to recognise employer support for the wider principles of the Armed Forces Covenant and the full spectrum of Defence personnel. This includes the Reserves, service leavers, cadets, spouses and wounded, injured and sick.
- The full list of Employer Recognition Scheme Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners is available here.
- The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation ensuring that those who serve or who have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
- Nationally, a record-breaking 156 organisations received the award this year.