Fife Council has received a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award revalidation.
The award certificate was presented on February 23 in Glenrothes. The certificates are for employers who joined the Ministry of Defence scheme in 2016, with both Gold and Silver awards reviewed and revalidated on a rolling five-year basis.
Fife Council signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2021, and were first awarded Silver status in 2015. Their Silver Award was renewed in 2021, cementing their pledge and forces-friendly approach.
Highland Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association’s Regional Employer Engagement Director Roy McLellan visited Fife Council in Glenrothes to present the award. Armed Forces & Veterans Community Champion Councillor Rod Cavanagh, Fife Council’s Executive Director of Enterprise & Environment Keith Winter and Fife Council’s HR Advisor Gaynor Graham were delighted to receive the award.
The ERS Silver Award is in recognition of the exceptional support employers and organisations, such as Fife Council, provide to the Armed Forces community and Defence.
The ERS Scheme recognises those who demonstrate or advocate support to that community and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant – a pledge from the nation that those who serve or who have served and their families are treated fairly.
Silver Award winners must meet certain criteria, including: employing at least one individual from the Armed Forces community, actively ensuring that their workforce is aware of their positive policies, demonstrating support to mobilisations of reservists and providing at least five days’ additional leave for training.
For organisations to be revalidated they must continue to adhere to that criteria. The revalidations recognise the long-term support employers have given to the Armed Forces community and highlight that, through their consistent support over a sustained period of time, they have been able to continue to champion and demonstrate their forces-friendly measures.
For more information on the Armed Forces Covenant, click HERE.
For more information on the Employer Recognition Scheme, click HERE.
- Main image shows Gaynor Graham (left), Rod Cavanagh and Keith Winter from Fife Council with Roy McLellan (right).
