Lidl UK - Head Office
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 Lidl UK - Head Office 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 Lidl UK - Head Office 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
- UK Reservists
- Armed Forces Day
- Armed Forces Charities
We also pledge the following:
Supporting the employment of veterans to Lidl with an effective partnership with CTP. This will include regularly posting vacancies on the CTP website and attendance of CTP career events. Striving to support the employment of veterans who may have injuries or mental health conditions because of their service by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process where required. Supporting the employment Of service spouses and partners by partnering with the Forces Families Jobs Forum to advertise Lidl vacancies. Endeavouring to find alternative employment within the business in another location when required to relocate to accompany their partners military relocation. Serving military charities by supporting the Royal British Legion with poppy sales in stores when requested to do so. Advocating signing the Armed Forces Covenant to our agency partners. Supporting the financial health, mental health and wellbeing of ex-service personnel and their families, in line with our feel good five initiative. Continuation of an Ex- Armed Forces focus group consisting of Lidl colleagues who have transitioned from the military to better understand how Lidl can support more ex-service personnel to join Lidl GB. Creation of a transferable skills overview to support Recruitment teams and Hiring Managers understand how Military rank and Military training courses can translate to Lidl roles. Endeavour to introduce a reservist leave policy to support reservists at Lidl. Introduce military recruitment page on the Lidl careers site to better inform and support service leavers applications and transition. Add Armed Forces Day to the Wellbeing Calendar to raise awareness within the wider Lidl community.
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.