SisterForce C.I.C
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 SisterForce C.I.C 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 SisterForce C.I.C 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
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- Armed Forces Charities
We also pledge the following:
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Engage with any local Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) presence – for example, local Army units, RAF stations and/or Naval bases.
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Create a dedicated Armed Forces community section on our website.
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Establish an internal Armed Forces Network within our organisation, to enable staff members with an Armed Forces connection to meet and support one another.
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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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Deliver or promote external events for veterans and other members of the Armed Forces community.
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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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Ensure the Armed Forces community has fair access to our services and is not put at a disadvantage due to their service, for example due to deployment or mobility.
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Promote training and further/higher education opportunities for Service leavers, veterans and their families.
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Organise, facilitate, promote and/or take part in remembrance and other ceremonial activities.
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SisterForce C.I.C. pledges to champion the visibility, voices and experiences of women who serve and have served in the UK Armed Forces. We will work to ensure that female veterans are recognised as veterans, that their experiences inform the development of services, and that they have access to opportunities for connection, support, personal development and advocacy.
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Creating Lifelong Connection SisterForce C.I.C. pledges to create opportunities for women from the Armed Forces community to build meaningful, lifelong connections through peer networks, community events, roadshows, online engagement and collaborative programmes. We will work to reduce isolation and create welcoming spaces where women can connect through shared experience and sisterhood.
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SisterForce C.I.C. pledges to work collaboratively with Armed Forces charities, statutory organisations, community groups, employers and other Covenant-supporting organisations. Where needs fall outside our expertise, we will seek to connect individuals with appropriate specialist services rather than allowing them to navigate support systems alone.
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SisterForce C.I.C. pledges to challenge stereotypes surrounding what a veteran looks like and to increase public recognition of women who have served. Through campaigns, storytelling, events and advocacy, we will celebrate the diversity, contribution and achievements of women across the Armed Forces community.
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SisterForce C.I.C. pledges to place lived experience at the heart of our development. We will listen to women from the Armed Forces community and use their experiences, feedback and voices to help shape our programmes, partnerships, campaigns and future priorities.
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.