FDM Group Plc
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 FDM Group Plc 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 FDM Group Plc 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:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- UK Reservists
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- Armed Forces Charities
- UK Wounded, Injured And Sick
We also pledge the following:
Promoting the fact that we are an armed forces-friendly organisation; - Our FDM Ex-Forces Programme specifically offers the opportunity for high calibre personnel from all ranks and all three Services to join our award-winning training programme to become IT Consultants and Project Managers. - Allocate two days, in addition to annual leave, for Ex-Forces personnel to support military charities of their choice. - By proudly displaying the Armed Forces Covenant logo in our Head and Regional Offices. Publicise our Armed Forces Covenant commitments on our website and display the Armed Forces Covenant logo. - Practically ensuring that our members, clients and business partners understand our support for the Armed Forces and their families. - Promoting the benefits of employing Ex-Forces personnel on an international, national, regional and local basis. - Seeking to build stronger ties with elements of the Armed Forces where we can draw potential recruits. -Provide an internal Military Support Group for FDM Ex-Forces employees. Seeking to support the employment of veterans young and old and working with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), in order to establish a tailored employment pathway for Service Leavers; - provide jobs, tailored training and pastoral care for Ex-Forces personnel. - Critically provide a structure and FDM supported introduction into the wider corporate/commercial world. - work closely with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) to ensure employment opportunities are advertised on the CTP website. - Ensure that any Ex-Forces personnel who meet our selection criteria are called for interview. - Value and recognise military skills and qualifications when interviewing for positions. - Hold briefing days designed specifically for those leaving the Armed Forces. - Participate in selected career fairs to publicise the opportunities available within FDM. - Utilise the leadership experiences and expertise of former Service personnel. - Provide work experience and job shadow opportunities for service leavers in partnership with our clients. Seeking to support our employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces, including by accommodating their training and deployment where possible. - Accommodate Reservists’ training commitments where possible. - Providing an additional two weeks leave to allow Reservists to complete their annual two week training camp. - Accommodate where possible the mobilisation of our Reservists if they are required to deploy. - Encourage any Reservist in our business to participate in Uniform to Work Day. - offering support to our local cadet units, either in our local community or in local schools where possible; - aiming to actively participate in Armed Forces Day; - Hold an Armed Forces themed week throughout our offices in the UK.
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.