Maritime Solent
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 Maritime Solent 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 Maritime Solent 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
- UK Cadets
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- Discounts
- Armed Forces Charities
- UK Wounded, Injured And Sick
We also pledge the following:
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Champion the Armed Forces Covenant across the Solent maritime sector, encouraging our members, partners, and stakeholders to recognise the value of the Armed Forces community and to adopt Covenant-aligned practices, promoting positive employer behaviours towards the Armed Forces community.
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Share best practice from Covenant signatories and exemplar employers within the maritime industry, helping to raise standards across the region.
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Promote maritime careers to members of the Armed Forces community, highlighting the transferability of naval and military skills into civilian maritime roles.
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Support the development of vocational and skills pathways into the maritime sector, working with employers, training providers, and Armed Forces charities where appropriate.
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Act as a connector between maritime employers and organisations that support resettlement, retraining, and employment for service leavers and veterans.
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Encourage collaboration between maritime businesses, service charities, education providers, and public-sector partners to support Armed Forces engagement within the Solent region.
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Support regional and national Armed Forces initiatives, including Armed Forces Day, Remembrance activities, and sector-specific engagement events where appropriate.
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Use our convening role—through events, communications, and networks—to increase awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant and its relevance to the maritime industry.
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Promote understanding of the value of reservists and cadet forces within the maritime workforce.
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.