Two years after signing the Armed Forces Covenant, Impellam Group received the Gold Award from the UK Ministry of Defence's Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).
The Gold Award is the highest badge of honour the scheme offers and acknowledges employers who meet their Covenant commitments by supporting the Armed Forces community and the wider defence sector.
It also arrives at a significant moment. The world of work in the defence sector is changing rapidly. With UK defence investment set to rise sharply over the coming decade, genuine credibility within the Armed Forces community has never mattered more to the organisations delivering the sector's growth.
Impellam Group's Commitment to the Armed Forces Community
We are proud of our history in supporting the military community, with a commitment that is embedded in our culture and actions. We have a growing, talented community of reservists and veterans across the Impellam Group, supported by IMMilitary, our employee-led Business Resource Group dedicated to current and former service personnel as well as their families.
Many bring the mission critical engineering, digital and security cleared experience that defence organisations are struggling to find, a reminder that supporting the Armed Forces community and solving the sector's skills scarcity go hand in hand.
"This Gold Award is a testament to the work of IMMilitary and our broader teams who have championed initiatives that support service leavers, reservists, and military families", commented Simon Blockley, CEO Impellam UK & Europe. "From recruitment practices to internal support networks, we strive to ensure that those who serve or have served are treated fairly and given every opportunity to thrive and influence our extensive client base to do the same".
IMMilitary was central to organising the initial signing of the Covenant, cementing our commitment to supporting veterans and reservists within our organisation, as well as on behalf of our clients across various sectors. For clients operating in secure and regulated environments, that matters - it is one thing for a partner to say they understand the defence community, and another to have operated within it for decades and been recognised at the highest level for doing so.
Celebrating Military Service
Our ongoing commitment meant we proudly celebrated Armed Forces Day and Reservists Day in June. We look to recognise and honour the contributions of those who serve, reflecting on the values of service, resilience, and leadership that current and former military personnel bring to our business.
"As a serving Army Reservist and co-leader of IMMilitary, alongside my colleague and Army veteran Stephen Salmon, I am absolutely thrilled that our organisation has been awarded the Gold Award by the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme in respect of the Armed Forces Covenant", commented Andrew Banfield, Head of Service at Comensura.
"This recognition reflects the highest level of commitment to supporting our Armed Forces community, including veterans, serving reservists, and military spouses. It is a privilege to be part of an organisation that not only values the unique skills and experiences of those who serve but actively champions their contribution in the workplace", continued Andrew.
"We are incredibly proud of this achievement and remain dedicated to strengthening our support for the Armed Forces family".
Changing Lives, Changing Businesses, Changing Futures
At Impellam Group, we believe in changing businesses, changing lives, and changing futures. Our Gold Award is just one milestone which will inspire and drive us to continue building a workplace where veterans and reservists are empowered to succeed.
It also shapes how we work with clients. Upskilling pathways for highly sought after, security cleared professionals mean the skills the sector needs for growth are being developed and nurtured over the long term, not simply competed for, helping organisations build sustainable talent pipelines of their own rather than relying on expensive one-off hires.
What is the Armed Forces Covenant?
The Armed Forces Covenant is a statement that aims to ensure members of the armed forces community, including those currently serving, veterans, and their families, are treated fairly and are not disadvantaged compared to other citizens.
By signing the covenant, businesses indicate their intention to acknowledge and support the contributions of serving personnel, veterans, and military families within both workplaces and the wider community.
At a brand level, Carbon60, Lorien, Comensura and Guidant Global are signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant with Carbon60 having gold accreditation and Guidant Global silver accreditation. Alongside memberships and frameworks such as JOSCAR and the Equal Skies Charter, these accreditations form part of the due diligence assurance we offer clients across defence, security and critical national infrastructure.
If access to security cleared, mission critical talent is a leading challenge for defence recruitment in your organisation, our team would be glad to talk.
Take a look at our dedicated Aerospace and Defence workforce management page for more sector insights.
