About You UK
We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.
The Armed Forces Covenant
An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families
The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.
Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.
This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.
Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant
1.1 We About You UK will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment
2.1 About You UK recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- Discounts
We also pledge the following:
Communications, engagement and outreach: We will provide and/or promote training, such as e-learning, for staff and volunteers on the Armed Forces Community. We will support or promote Armed Forces events, such as Armed Forces Day/Week, Reserves Day, the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance activities. We will create a dedicated Armed Forces page on our website demonstrating our commitment. We will establish an internal Armed Forces Network within About You UK, to enable staff members with an Armed Forces connection to meet and support one another and provide feedback to us as an organisation We will appoint an Armed Forces Champion within About You UK to act as a focal point for organising and promoting support for the Armed Forces Community. We will run, facilitate or promote support networks (such as coffee mornings, breakfast clubs) for veterans and other members of the Armed Forces Community. We will engage with any local Armed Forces presence for example, local Army units, reservist units, RAF stations and/or naval bases. We will develop relationships and work collaboratively with other organisations supporting the Covenant and the Armed Forces Community in your locality/region. Commercial: Offer and/or promote commercial discounts for members of the Armed Forces Community via the Defence Discount Service. Waive cancellation fees for utility and other contracts for those posted overseas or to areas outside the service provision. Our centres will ensure the Armed Forces Community has fair access to your services and is not put at a disadvantage by their service. Health: We will actively take part in and/or promote awareness-raising schemes Ensure available dedicated healthcare services for members of the Armed Forces Community are signposted and promoted if additional services are required Education: Support and promote the wellbeing of Service children, recognising the particular experiences and challenges they may face through our counselling services Promote training and further/higher education accredited and non-accredited opportunities for Service leavers, ex-Service personnel and their families. Civic responsibilities: Organise, facilitate, promote and/or take part in remembrance and other ceremonial activities
2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.