Exeter wins Gold Award in Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme
The University of Exeter has been awarded the prestigious Gold award in the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Awards.
The scheme recognises support and ongoing commitment to the Armed Forces community.
Professor Lisa Roberts, the university’s President and Vice Chancellor, welcomed the award, and said: “I’m delighted to see our commitment to our valued Armed Forces recognised through this gold award. Our Armed Forces are a force for good in a changing world, and the University’s support for service people is a significant part of our ambition to help secure a fairer, safer and more inclusive society for all.”
The University’s AFC Advocacy Group and Community Network leads work to welcome service people to the university community. The network is working to extend this support throughout the South West.
In 2019, the University signed Armed Forces Covenant (AFC), a promise to ensure those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives. The AFC relies on the people, communities, and businesses of the UK to actively support it in order to make a difference.
The winners have all been powerful advocates for the Armed Forces Covenant by actively engaging with their peers, encouraging them to employ armed forces personnel, veterans, and their families, and providing robust and sustained support for reservists.
Gold status is also awarded to those who implement HR policies that accommodate the needs of the Armed Forces Community, while continuously promoting this advocacy within their own networks and industry.
The scheme aligns with the new government’s manifesto promise to strengthen support for armed forces communities, including putting the Armed Forces Covenant fully into law and a commitment to create a new Armed Forces Commissioner to improve service life and be a strong, independent voice for service personnel and their families.
Professor Roberts said: “The University of Exeter is a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and is committed to supporting service people who are part of our University and region. We recognise the skills, knowledge and experience that veterans, reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers bring to our organisation, whether as colleagues or students. We also recognise the sacrifices made by service families while supporting their loved ones through military service.”
Minister for Veterans and People, Alistair Carns, said: “Our Armed Forces Community make incredible sacrifices to keep the nation safe, and it is only right that they are welcomed and valued in the workplace. This scheme aligns with this government’s determination to renew the nation’s contract with our Armed Forces.
To find out more about the Armed Forces Covenant, please visit our dedicated webpages.
