HISG Ltd
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, His 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 HISG Ltd 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 HISG Ltd 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
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- UK Reservists
- UK Cadets
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- UK Wounded, Injured And Sick
- Additional Leave For Reservists
We also pledge the following:
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Supporting any mobilisations.
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Engaging with the Career Transition Partnership.
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Provide ways for our staff to learn about the Armed Forces community.
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Appoint an Armed Forces lead within our organisation to coordinate support for the Armed Forces community.
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Signpost members of the Armed Forces community to available support, for example from Cobseo members, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs directory of support and statutory services in your area.
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Develop relationships and work collaboratively with other organisations supporting the Covenant and the Armed Forces community in our local area and/or our industry sector.
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We welcome veteran-owned businesses and Covenant signatories into our supply chain, and encourage our suppliers to sign the Covenant.
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We signpost and promote dedicated healthcare services for the Armed Forces Community, including Op COURAGE, and other NHS mental health service for veterans.
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We promote the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance and veteran-friendly GP practices, and encourage veterans to tell their GP that they have served.
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We support the mental and physical wellbeing of our people as set out in our Health and Safety Policy, recognising the particular experiences of those who have served.
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We promote training and further and higher education for service leavers, veterans and their families, including an array of certifications and the Enhanced Learning Credits scheme.
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We support the wellbeing of Service children in our people’s families, with flexibility around school moves and term-time postings, and promote resources such as the Service Children Progression Alliance’s Thriving Lives Toolkit.
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We promote awareness of housing and homelessness support for veterans, including Op FORTITUDE, the national referral service for veterans facing homelessness.
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We support our people through relocation, including by providing employment references promptly for rental and mortgage applications.
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Organise, facilitate, promote and/or take part in remembrance and other ceremonial activities.
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HISG was founded by veterans. Our directors served a combined 35 years in the British Army, and our values were deeply shaped by that service. We know what the Armed Forces Community gives, and what it can cost serving people, veterans and their families.
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We proudly sign the Armed Forces Covenant and uphold its two principles: that those who serve or have served, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared with other citizens when accessing goods, services and employment; and that special provision is justified for those who have given the most, such as the injured and the bereaved.
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Whilst we cannot directly serve the community through our product and service offering, we fully focus our pledge to the areas where we can make a real difference: fair and flexible employment for service leavers, supporting Reservists and families.
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.