Bucks Council receives gold accolade for military employment scheme

Bucks Council has received strong recognition from the Government for its military employment scheme.

The local authority was given ‘Gold’ status for its 2023 Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).

This is the highest level of award offered by the scheme, which is a Government driven programme.

ERSs are designed to support defence and the armed forces by supporting them outside of combat.

The Ministry of Defence awards Bronze, Silver and Gold awards to employment organisations running the scheme. Bodies must prove that they support the armed forces community in line with the Armed Forces Covenant.

Bucks Council has given the following examples of how its ERS works:

-Guaranteeing job interviews for ex-armed forces personnel and serving reservists where they meet the essential criteria for a role

-Offering extra leave for reservists to attend training

-Providing a supportive work environment for employees who are members of the armed forces community, including facilitating a staff network

Councillor Arif Hussain said: “I’m delighted that we have been awarded Gold in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. This award demonstrates our support for the values of the Armed Forces Covenant.

“In June, we held our first Armed Forces Conference promoting the benefits of employing veterans, reservists and their family members. The event was a testament to our ongoing commitment to the armed forces community, and supported our aim to encourage other local employers to become ‘forces friendly’.”

More information on ERS is available online and what support is available to the armed forces can be found here.

Councillor Mimi Harker said: “I would like to thank the team behind this work for making this happen. Working these incredibly important values into the council’s approach across the board takes time and effort – and goes to show how important this is to our organisation.

"This award recognises the exceptional support we provide to the sizeable armed forces community in Buckinghamshire and the hard work we have put in since becoming a unitary authority. We are proud to support those who serve our country.”