ISS Defence | Armed Forces Covenant

ENABLING PERFORMANCE

Armed Forces Covenant

Support for the Military Community

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The Armed Forces Covenant sets out the relationship between the nation, the government and the Armed Forces. It recognises that the whole nation has a moral obligation to members of the Armed Forces and their families, andfamilies and establishes how they should expect to be treated.

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation that the Armed Forces Community should be treated fairly and face no disadvantage when accessing public and commercial services, with special provision made in appropriate cases for those who have sacrificed the most, such as the injured and bereaved.

ISS UK&I has demonstrated this commitment since 2015, maintaining Gold status in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme and renewing our Covenant commitment in July 2024, recognising the valuable contribution that service personnel, veterans and their families make to our business and society.

ARMED FORCES CONVENANT

The Covenant's Core Principles

The Covenant is built on two fundamental principles:

No member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen
In some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate, especially for the injured or bereaved

Our specific commitments

As outlined in our Armed Forces Covenant, ISS is committed to:

Promoting the Armed Forces
We actively promote ourselves as an Armed Forces-friendly organisation to our staff, customers, suppliers, contractors and the wider public. We use our position as a leader in facilities management to champion the transferable skills and benefits that the military community brings to business.
Supporting the Military Community
We support the employment of the military community by:
- Recognising military skills and qualifications in our recruitment and selection processes
- Working with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) and the Forces Employment Charity to support the employment of Service leavers and the broader military community
- Supporting the military community into meaningful employment through our internal mentoring scheme, Jointforces
- Active engagement with military-focused job boards and transition events
- Regularly attending CTP career fairs to engage directly with service leavers
- Playing an active role in the IWFM Veterans Committee, where we work alongside other facilities management companies to promote FM as the career of choice for the military community
Career Development
We champion the development of the military community within facilities management and the built environment by providing pathways which offer recognised qualifications to support long-term employability and career development.
Supporting Service Spouses & Partners
We support the employment of Service spouses and partners by:
- Partnering with the Forces Employment Charity
- Providing flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner's deployment
Supporting Reservists
We support our employees who are members of the Reserve Forces by:
- Granting 10 days additional paid leave for annual Reserve Forces training
- Supporting any mobilisations and deployments
- Actively encouraging members of staff to become Reservists
- Providing a support network for the military community within ISS UK and ensuring our policies enable and promote Reserve service
Supporting Cadet Organisations
We support our employees who are volunteer leaders in military cadet organisations by:
- Granting the use of volunteering days to attend annual training camps and courses
- Actively encouraging members of staff to become volunteer leaders in cadet organisations
- Supporting local military cadet units
- Recognising the benefits of employing cadets/ex-cadets within the workforce
National Events
We support Armed Forces Day, Reserves Day, the Poppy Appeal Day and Remembrance activities.
Armed Forces Charities
We promote the ongoing support of the military community through annual fundraising activities for military charities.

External Resources for the Armed Forces Community

These resources are available to support members of the Armed Forces community and are provided by external organisations:

Career Transition Partnership (CTP)
The Career Transition Partnership are is the Ministry of Defence's official provider of resettlement services to those leaving the Armed Forces, helping thousands of Service leavers successfully transition from military to civilian life each year.

Veteran's Gateway

Veterans' Gateway is a website funded by the Armed Forces Covenant, launched in 2019. The website serves as the first point of contact for veterans and their families seeking support, connecting them with organisations best placed to help with information, advice and support covering healthcare, housing, employment, finances, personal relationships and more.

Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a network of organisations and Armed Forces Charities including The Royal British Legion, SSAFA, and Combat Stress.

Visit the Veterans' Gateway website, call 0808 802 1212 or text 81212.

Reservist Employer Toolkit
If you need practical advice and help on employing reservists, a toolkit is available for you providing information on your rights, responsibilities, and financial assistance that may be available to you.

Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust makes grants to support members of the Armed Forces community and their families. Established in 2015 and becoming independent in 2018, the Fund supports initiatives across four key themes:

Removing barriers to family life
Extra support after service for those that need help
Measures to integrate military and civilian communities and allow the Armed Forces community to participate as citizens
Non-core healthcare services for veterans

For more information on funding opportunities, visit the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust website.

ARMED FORCES CONVENANT

How your organisation can get involved

ISS UK&I encourages other organisations to demonstrate their commitment to the Armed Forces community:

Sign the Armed Forces Covenant
TThe Armed Forces Covenant can be signed by:

Businesses of all size
Charitable organisations
Public sector organisations
Individual service branches: Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force (RAF)

Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Journey

The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme offers three levels of recognition for employers who support the Armed Forces community:

Bronze Award
For organisations that pledge their support and demonstrate basic commitments to the Armed Forces community
Silver Award
For organisations that demonstrate significant support through policies and practices that support the Armed Forces community
Gold Award
For organisations that go above and beyond in their support, advocating for the Armed Forces community and demonstrating exceptional commitment

The scheme is designed to recognise those who pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to the Armed Forces community, aligning their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.

With a decade of Gold Award recognition since 2015 and our renewed Covenant commitment in July 2024, ISS UK&I remains committed to supporting the military community, including veterans, Reservists, Cadet Volunteers, and military families.

For more information about the Armed Forces Covenant, visit the Armed Forces Covenant website.