Highlife Highland signs Covenant and scoops Bronze

November 27, 2018
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Highlife Highland has signed the Armed Forces Covenant and been awarded the Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Bronze Award. 

The organisation signed the Covenant – a commitment to support the country’s servicemen and women wherever and however it can and to ensure no member of the Armed Forces should suffer any disadvantage as a result of their service – on 23 November at the Inverness Archive Centre.

Chief Executive Officer Ian Murray signed the document alongside Major Alec Rose, who co-signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Major Rose is second in command at 7SCOTS.

Highlife Highland’s commitment to honouring the Covenant includes pledges to:

  • Promote the fact it is an Armed forces-friendly organisation.
  • Support the employment of veterans young and old and to work with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), in order to establish a tailored employment pathway for Service Leavers.
  • Seek to support their candidates who choose to be members of the Reserve forces, including by accommodating their training and deployment where possible through offering flexibility of roles and durations.
  • Aim to actively participate in Armed Forces Day.
  • Offer a discount to members of the Armed Forces Community.

As well as signing the Covenant, Highlife Highland received the ERS Bronze Award. The ERS awards encourage employers to support defence and inspire others to do the same. The prestigious Bronze, Silver and Gold 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 Covenant signing and Bronze presentation was organised by Highland Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association and attended – along with the signatories – by the organisation’s Regional Employer Engagement Director Roy McLellan.

Proud to support the Armed Forces Community and receive the Bronze Award.

Roy said: “I am delighted Highlife Highland have formally pledged their commitment to the Armed Forces Community by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. By demonstrating their support, Highlife Highland is helping to provide employment and opportunity for our servicemen, regular, retired and reserve, in the Argyll & Bute community. We are very much looking forward to working with them via our Employer Recognition Scheme and thank them for their pledge.”

Highlife Highland is a charity formed by The Highland Council to develop and promote opportunities in culture, learning, sport, leisure, health and wellbeing across nine services throughout the whole of the Highlands, for both residents and visitors.

For more information on the Armed Forces Covenant and the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme contact Roy on 01382 631022 or email [email protected].