NOCN Group
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 NOCN Group 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 NOCN Group 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
- UK Cadets
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- Discounts
- Armed Forces Charities
- Additional Leave For Reservists
We also pledge the following:
Promoting the Armed Forces
- We will promote the fact that we are an Armed Forces-friendly organisation by publicising and promoting our Corporate Covenant pledge on a dedicated Covenant section/page on our website, along with the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme and our support for the Armed Forces Community to our staff, customers/service users, supply chains and the wider public.
- We will promote our work, activities and events through our own digital and social media channels to our staff, customers, suppliers, contractors, stakeholders, associates and the wider public via dedicated marketing campaigns and content (e.g. case studies, advertorials, press releases, newsletters), actively celebrating our veterans within our organisation and supply chains.
Education and Employment Support
- Veterans: We will comprehensively support veterans to enter and sustain positive employment outcomes, recognising the transferability of their military skills and qualifications in our recruitment and selection processes (e.g. mapping military skills/qualifications onto their non-military equivalents and associated employment opportunities).
- We will work closely with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) and employers to support the employment of Service Leavers, and create meaningful employment opportunities that directly meet local, regional and national skills shortage strategies with full career progression. For example:
• Collaborating with Training Providers who are already on/wanting to join CTP’s Preferred Supplier List: Training Providers.
• Facilitating job-matching activities for CTP-registered employers and helping them to meet their skills shortages: Employers.
• Developing meaningful courses and training/education opportunities to assist with present skills gaps and help veterans to gain employment (including work/training opportunities to the Wounded, Injured and Sick). - Service Spouses and Partners: We will support the employment of Service spouses and partners, partnering with the Forces Families Jobs Forum (https://www.forcesfamiliesjobs.co.uk/) and providing flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner’s deployment. We will partner with (and advertise vacancies on) Forces Families Jobs and Recruit for Spouses, as well as advertising widely within the Armed Forces community. We will develop positive, collaborative relationships with other organisations supporting the Covenant, regional Armed Forces Communities and available support and statutory services, enabling us to effectively signpost members and veterans to appropriate support for their needs (e.g. the Veteran’s Gateway).
- Reserves: We will support our employees who are members of the Reserve Forces, granting additional paid/unpaid leave for annual Reserve Forces training. We will support any mobilisations and deployment and actively encourage members of staff to become Reservists.
- Cadets: We will support our employees who are volunteer leaders in military cadet organisations, granting additional leave to attend annual training camps and courses. We will actively encourage members of staff to become volunteer leaders in cadet organisations and support local military cadet units, recognising the benefits of employing cadets/ex-cadets within the workforce.
Communications, Engagement and Outreach
- We will support Armed Forces Day, Reserves Day, the Poppy Appeal Day and Remembrance activities (e.g. fundraising events and careers days). We will support Armed Forces charities with fundraising and supporting staff who volunteer to assist (e.g. via dedicated/specialist training). We will offer a discount to members of the Armed Forces community and advertise this through the Defence Discount Services.
Our Values
- At the NOCN Group, we deeply value the unique skills, experiences, and dedication that veterans from the UK Armed Forces bring to the workplace. Their military training has instilled in them invaluable qualities such as leadership, discipline, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to thrive under pressure – assets that positively impact our organisation.
- We recognise the challenges veterans may face in transitioning to civilian employment (e.g. changes in workplace culture, relocation, transferrability of existing skills). We strive to provide a supportive environment that acknowledges their experiences and offer impactful opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Our extensive support offer for veterans aligns with NOCN Group’s core values, e.g.:
• Helping people to reach their potential throughout their lives and maximise their career potentials.
• Supporting social mobility, productivity and inclusivity as an independent charitable organisation.
Employing veterans is not only a matter of corporate responsibility but also a strategic decision, as their diverse perspectives, resilience, and adaptability drive innovation and foster a culture of excellence within our team. We are firmly committed to providing meaningful employment opportunities that allow veterans to continue developing their skills and pursue rewarding post-military careers.
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.