26 Jan Businesses urged to set out commitment to support Essex’s Armed Forces Community
Businesses across Essex are being urged to put their support for armed service personnel, veterans, and their families on parade.
Essex County Council (ECC) is encouraging businesses throughout the county to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and has also written to all of its suppliers asking them to consider doing so.
The Covenant can be signed by businesses, charities, local authorities, and public sector organisations, and sets out signatories’ commitment to ensuring those who serve or who have served in the armed forces are treated fairly.
ECC is an active supporter of the armed forces and along with partners in 2012 made one of the largest pledges ever enacted by public, private and voluntary sectors in the shape of the Essex Armed Forces Community Covenant.
The council has also established the Civilian Military Partnership Board (CMPB) to oversee work to tackle the disadvantages suffered by serving and ex-service personnel.
ECC currently holds the silver standard of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) and in December set out its commitment to achieving Gold accreditation in 2022.
Businesses across Essex are being urged to join the County Council and set out their own commitments to support Essex’s Armed Forces Community.
Cllr Derrick Louis, ECC’s Armed Forces Champion, said: “There are an estimated 100,000 ex-service personnel living in Essex and the county has a long and proud association with the armed forces. Having served my country in the British Army for over 30 years, both at home and overseas, supporting Essex’s serving and ex-service personnel is incredibly important to me.
“I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved as a council so far and our continued commitment to supporting Essex’s Armed Force community, however, we want businesses to join us on this journey and so I would urge them to make their own commitment by signing the Armed Forces Covenant.”
Businesses can find out more and sign the Armed Force Covenant online at www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk/get-involved/sign-the-covenant/. Once they have signed the Covenant, they should email it to afcovenant@rfca.mod.uk, ea-empsp@rfca.mod.uk and philip.wilson@chelmsfordcab.org.
Suppliers who have already signed the Covenant and want to gain accreditation through the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme can nominate themselves on the website. After nominating your business, please email ea-empsp@rfca.mod.uk and philip.wilson@chelmsfordcab.org and let them know.
