Green Paths Environmental Education CIC
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 Green Paths Environmental Education CIC 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 Green Paths Environmental Education CIC 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
- UK Reservists
We also pledge the following:
-
Actively promoting positive awareness of the Armed Forces community through our programmes, events, partnerships and communications. We will recognise key Armed Forces dates and campaigns (such as Armed Forces Week and Remembrance) and celebrate the skills, resilience and values that service life brings to individuals and families.
-
We will actively support the employment, volunteering and training of veterans, reservists, spouses and partners of serving personnel. This includes recognising transferable skills gained through service, offering flexible working where possible, and, providing meaningful volunteering and leadership opportunities within our organisation.
-
We will engage directly with Armed Forces families, welfare services, local authorities and third sector partners to ensure our services are accessible, well-communicated and responsive to the needs of the Armed Forces community. We will ensure that service life, deployment and transition challenges are reflected sensitively in our engagement and delivery.
-
Where applicable, we will consider fair and supportive approaches for members of the Armed Forces community, including flexible booking arrangements, fee considerations, or priority access during periods of deployment, transition or crisis, in line with our charitable objectives.
-
We are committed to supporting the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families. Through our nature-based, outdoor and wellbeing-focused programmes, we provide trauma-informed, preventative and supportive activities that help reduce isolation, improve resilience and promote long-term health.
-
We will work sensitively with families experiencing housing instability related to postings, transition from service or deployment. We will collaborate with partner organisations to signpost appropriate housing, welfare and community support where needed.
-
We will support children and young people from Armed Forces families by providing inclusive, flexible and accessible educational opportunities. Our provision recognises the impact of mobility, deployment and separation, and supports SEND, SEMH and alternative education pathways, ensuring no disadvantage due to service life.
-
We will work collaboratively with local councils, Armed Forces Covenant partnerships, welfare teams and community organisations to strengthen civic engagement and ensure Armed Forces voices are represented in local decision-making and community development.
-
We commit to embedding Armed Forces awareness across our policies, training and service delivery, ensuring staff and volunteers understand the unique challenges faced by the Armed Forces community. We will continually review our practice, listen to lived experience, and adapt our services to ensure the Armed Forces community is treated fairly, with dignity and without disadvantage.
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.