The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation
to those who serve or who have served, and their
families, that they should be treated fairly and are
not disadvantaged in their day-to-day lives. As part of
their pledge, the Post Office will encourage ex-service
personnel to apply for vacancies, offer bespoke
training and support reservists and cadet volunteers
with their commitments.
The signing took place at a Service of Remembrance to
mark the centenary of the end of the First World War,
attended by Defence Secretary and Group CEO of
the Post Office, Paula Vennells.
Defence Secretary said:
The Post Office has a long and distinguished history
with the Armed Forces and it is fitting they are the
3000th signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant.
Those who have served our country so courageously
deserve the full support of organisations and
businesses across the public and private sector.
Today, the Post Office has demonstrated the value
that reservist and ex-service personnel can bring to
businesses.
From today, the Post Office will work with the MOD’s
Career Transition Partnership (CTP) to facilitate
employment for former service personnel by advertising
their vacancies on the CTP’s website. They will also
offer a specialist training programme, commit to hiring
a certain number of veterans, and offer paid leave for
reservists and time off for any deployment commitments.
Alongside this, they will support the Cadet Force by
granting adult volunteers five days paid leave for
their annual camp and establish a new Post Office Armed
Forces Network for those with links to the military.
Paula Vennells, Group CEO of Post Office, said:
It’s a real honour to sign the Armed Forces Covenant
on behalf of the Post Office at this very special
service, recognising the value that our serving
personnel, both Regular and Reservists, veterans and
military families contribute in the present to our
business and our country.
We know that having a diverse workforce brings huge
benefits to a business; and our ex-Armed Forces
colleagues and those in the Reserves are a unique and
vital asset to the Post Office. We want to thank them
for their service and to ensure that we continue to
create a business in which everyone can thrive and
develop as part of the Post Office team.
The signing took place at St
Botolph’s-Without-Aldersgate Church in central London –
a poignant location as inside the Church is a dedicated
memorial and battle flag of the Post Office Rifles, the
General Post Office’s own battalion, who served with
distinction, earning high praise and a prestigious
place in British military history. More than 75,000
General Post Office employees left their roles to fight
in the War, with 12,000 joining the Post Office Rifles.
The Armed Forces Covenant was established in 2011, is a
whole of government responsibility, and includes
signatories from across organisations, businesses and
charities. Support is provided in a number of areas,
including education, starting a new career and access
to healthcare.
Minster for Defence People and Veterans added:
Our Armed Forces are one of the most professional
forces in the world. Our people are brave,
disciplined and natural leaders.
Organisations such as the Post Office can thrive by
taking advantage of these transferable skills. I
encourage more businesses to sign up.
