ERS Gold Award deadline nears

24.02.2021
Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award graphic

The deadline for the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Awards is almost upon us, with the deadline for Silver not far behind.

The scheme encourages employers to support defence and inspire others to do the same. The awards are for employer organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the armed forces community, and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.

The deadline to express your interest in a Gold Award is 11:59pm on 17 March 2021. Upon making an EOI you will be sent an application form.
The deadline to submit your Gold application is 31 March 2021.

The deadline to express your interest in a Silver Award is 11:59pm on 16 April 2021. The deadline to submit your Silver application is 30 April 2021.

For further information please email HRFCA’s Regional Employer Engagement Directors (REED):
Roy McLellan: [email protected]
Ray Watt: [email protected]

Gold award holders:

  • must have signed the Armed Forces Covenant
  • employers must have an existing relationship with their National Account Manager/REED/appropriate defence representative
  • the employer must already be demonstrating support by holding a valid ERS Silver Award. Employers that do not hold a valid ERS Silver Award cannot progress to the Gold level
  • the employer must proactively demonstrate their forces-friendly credentials as part of their recruiting and selection processes. Where possible, they should be engaged with Career Transition Partnership (CTP) in the recruitment of service leavers and have registered for the Forces Families Jobs (FFJ) portal
  • employers should employ at least one individual from the AFC category that the nomination emphasises. For example, an employer nominated for support to the Reserves must employ at least one Reservist. In exceptional circumstances where there is outstanding generic support for the Armed Forces community and/or the size or business model of the organisation makes employment of such an individual impossible, the organisation can be considered for the award where they do not employ someone from the AFC category
  • the employer must actively ensure that their workforce is aware of their positive policies towards defence people issues. For example, an employer nominated for support to the Reserves must have an internally publicised and positive human resources policy on Reserves
  • the employer must be an exemplar within their market sector, advocating support to defence people issues to partner organisations, suppliers and customers with tangible positive results
  • within the context of Reserves the employer must have demonstrated support to mobilisations or have a framework in place. They must provide at least 10 days’ additional leave for training, fully paid, to the Reservist employee
  • the employer must not have been the subject of any negative public relations or media activity
Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award graphic

Silver award holders:

  • must have signed the Armed Forces Covenant
  • the employer must have already stated their intent to be supportive by using the ERS website to register at the Bronze level
  • the employer must proactively demonstrate that service personnel/armed forces community are not unfairly disadvantaged as part of their recruiting and selection processes
  • employers should employ at least one individual from the AFC category that the nomination emphasises. For example, an employer nominated for support to the Reserves must employ at least one Reservist. In exceptional circumstances where there is outstanding generic support for the Armed Forces community and/or the size or business model of the organisation makes employment of such an individual impossible, the organisation can be considered for the award where they do not employ someone from the AFC category
  • the employer must actively ensure that their workforce is aware of their positive policies towards defence people issues. For example, an employer nominated for support to the Reserves must have an internally publicised and positive HR policy on Reserves
  • within the context of Reserves the employer must have demonstrated support to mobilisations or have a framework in place. They must demonstrate support to training by providing at least 5 days’ additional unpaid/paid leave (wherever possible not to Reservist employees’ financial disadvantage)
  • the employer must not have been the subject of any negative PR or media activity

To find out more about the HRFCA-area Gold and Silver winners in 2020, click GOLD or SILVER.



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