The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors
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 The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors 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 The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors 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 Reservists
- UK Cadets
We also pledge the following:
Promoting the Armed Forces: As a City of London Livery Company and membership organisation we will endeavour at all times to raise awareness of the profile of the Armed Forces and the Armed Forces Covenant with all our Liverymen. We will utilise our membership network of professional members to raise awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant with employers and we will take steps to influence support across all categories. Employment support to members of the Armed Forces Community: We will raise awareness with our Liverymen and those Of other Liveries to actively promote the importance of supporting the employment of all members of the Armed Forces Community, veterans and service spouses and partners, recognising military skills and qualifications in recruitment. We will encourage our Liverymen to provide flexible employment in granting leave for Service spouses to support them during a partner’s deployment. Reserves: We will raise awareness and encourage our Liverymen to support employees who are part of the Reserve Forces; granting additional paid leave for annual Reserve Forces training; supporting any mobilisations and deployment and actively encouraging members of staff to join the Reserve Forces. Cadets: We will raise awareness and encourage our Liverymen to support employees who are volunteer leaders in military cadet organisations by granting additional leave to attend annual training camps and courses. We will actively encourage our Liverymen to become volunteer leaders in cadet organisations and to support local military cadet units. We will recognise the benefits Of employing cadets and ex-cadets in the workforce. Education: We will offer educational opportunities and careers support in the Built Environment to cadets who belong to our affiliated Cadet organisation. Civic responsibilities: We will encourage our members to support the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance Day events, Armed Forces Day and Reserves Day and encourage our Liver-ymen to encourage those in their organisations to do likewise.
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.