SAS achieves Gold status for Armed Forces Covenant
SAS has moved from silver to gold status after signing a covenant with the British Armed Forces earlier this year to help current and former Armed Forces personnel and their families pursue analytics training and employment opportunities.
Above:
(left to right) Brigadier Marc Overton TD DL VR, Nigel Armstead, SAS, Steve Burgess, SAS and Air Marshall Sir Rich Knighton KCB.
Courtesy SAS
Under the covenant SAS provides free data science and artificial intelligence training and significant discounts on learning and development products to build up data and analytics skills in the Armed Forces. It also helps service leavers transfer their valuable skills to a career in analytics.
The move from silver to gold reflects SAS’ extension of 10 days’ extra paid leave for Reservists to Cadet Force adult volunteers for training obligations. SAS has further developed, supportive human resources and talent acquisition policies to support its Reservists and Cadet Force volunteers. SAS actively advocates its customers, partners and suppliers sign the Armed Forces Covenant, with nearly half of its tier one customers having signed the Covenant.
SAS had already committed to support the employment of veterans by working with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), Forces Employment Charity and Forces Families Jobs (FFJ) to develop tailored employment pathways for service leavers. It guarantees a job interview for any veteran that meets the minimum role criteria. SAS will also provide new-hire employees with coaching and mentoring to help them adjust to their new role. The spouses and partners of current and ex-servicepeople will be given the same opportunities.
The award was presented by Air Marshall Sir Rich Knighton KCB and Brigadier Marc Overton TD DL VR to Steve Burgess and Nigel Armstead, Defence Champions for SAS UK.
Roderick Crawford, Senior VP, SAS Northern Europe, said: “This Gold Award demonstrates SAS’ continued support for the Armed Forces, its personnel and their families. Through advocating signature of the Covenant or participation in the Employer Recognition Scheme, we understand the important contributions made, locally, nationally and internationally by the UK’s military. SAS celebrates equity, diversity and inclusion through our SAS VETS military network and commends the hard work of our Reservists and Cadet Force volunteers.”
The Gold Award is part of SAS’ long-running programme of support for the Armed Forces. The company has a strong working relationship with the Ministry of Defence and worked closely with Army Headquarters to ensure the Covenant fully met the needs of those in the services.