RMA – The Royal Marines Charity is delighted to have received a coveted Gold Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) for excellence in aligning its values to the Armed Forces Covenant and inspiring others to do the same.
Gold Award status is the highest ERS accolade granted by the Ministry of Defence. It is given to acknowledge those outstanding employer organisations which pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the armed forces community.
When RMA signed the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC) in 2019, it committed to offer work to veterans and promised to offer lifelong assistance given to the families and partners of veterans and those serving in the Royal Marines.
The ERS Gold Award is prestigious recognition of the Charity’s achievements in fulfilling its commitment. This includes:
- Offering employment to RM veterans and spouses who understand the Corps Family and share the Corps’ values and ethos
- Encouraging civilian employers to employ Royal Marines on leaving service
- Directly supporting the four Royal Marines Reserve units (totalling c.550 ranks) with sports, amenities, morale and welfare grants
- In 2021, advising 479 beneficiaries with employment and education advice (up 46.6% on 2020) – 375 serving and 104 veterans; and directly supporting 34 into employment (20 medically discharged, 6 veterans and 8 early leavers)
- Optimising social media channels which last year reached 25.9 million people, and included 11 adverts advising that we are Forces-friendly, have signed the AFC and encourage others to do the same.
Jonathan Ball, Chief Executive, RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, said: “I am absolutely thrilled that RMA-The Royal Marines Charity has been awarded the Defence Employer’s Recognition Scheme Gold award only a year after we secured Silver.
“We are proud of our support to the employment of military veterans and spouses which ensures that there is inbuilt empathy for all our beneficiaries.
“We are also passionate about promoting the Armed Forces Covenant and its Employers’ Recognition Scheme, in order that more companies are drawn in to support the Armed Forces community, and also benefit from the skills and value that veterans and military spouses bring to UK society.”
Minister for Defence People Leo Docherty said:
Regardless of size, location or sector, employing members of the Armed Forces community is good for businesses.
These awards recognise the outstanding support for our Armed Forces from employers across the UK and I would like to thank and congratulate each and every one.