ONE of the world’s biggest defence firms has signed a pledge at a ceremony in Hampshire to support the armed services.
BAE Systems put pen to paper and signed a revised Armed Forces Corporate Covenant at an event hosted on board HMS Iron Duke.
The new agreement will see the company offer additional support to the families of reservists throughout and beyond their operational duties.
It also includes hosting reserve recruiting teams across BAE Systems’ UK sites and implementing a regular review of Covenant progress.
The event in Portsmouth, attended by the minister for reserves, Julian Brazier and group managing director at BAE Systems, Nigel Whitehead, also saw the Company receive an Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award from the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
The award is made to organisations that proactively advocate and support defence personnel matters, including enabling reservists to meet their training commitments, as well as demonstrating support to cadets, armed forces veterans and partners or spouses of those in the military.
Mr Whitehead said: “From developing and manufacturing world-leading equipment, to enabling employees that are members of the reserve forces to maintain their training commitments, providing support to the armed services lies at the very heart of our company ethos.
“Signing the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant in 2013 provided us a great opportunity to focus on the activities that take place across our UK businesses, supporting and encouraging those employees who are members of the reserve forces, recruiting service leavers who bring valuable skills and insights, as well as celebrating the fantastic work of our Armed Forces.
"Today’s event recognises the significant progress that we have already made, and strengthens our support for the future.”
Minister for reserves Julian Brazier said: “Our Armed Forces community make a tremendous contribution to society, and they deserve the best possible support.
“BAE Systems were one of the first to sign the Covenant in 2013 and it is testament to their commitment to our service personnel and their families that they have taken this opportunity to update their pledges.
“By providing further support for reservists, BAE Systems clearly recognises the skills and leadership qualities that they can bring to the work force, and I hope even more companies across the UK will be encouraged to get behind the covenant and support the Armed Forces in any way they can.”
BAE Systems was one of the first companies to sign the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant in 2013, making eight commitments to demonstrate its support to the armed services.
As part of this commitment, last year alone, the company recruited more than 130 service leavers into businesses across the UK.
The revised Covenant will provide further focus to BAE Systems’ Armed Service support activities, increasing support of employees that are active reserves, facilitating reserve recruitment activity and monitoring the delivery of all commitments through regular review and assessment of the corporate covenant.
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