Press Release
Council receives the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award 2022
Date: 20 July 2022
Brentwood Borough Council is delighted to receive the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award Revalidated
The award was first presented to the council in 2017 and encourages employers to support defence and inspire others to do the same. The scheme encompasses bronze, silver and gold awards for employer organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the armed forces community, and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.
Brentwood Borough Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Cliff Poppy said:
“We are proud to ensure our armed forces community have opportunities for employment and our Reservists have time to carry out their duties. It is important to us and them that we continue our Silver Award status in the ERS, and I am delighted that this has indeed been revalidated.
"Brentwood has a long and proud connection with the armed forces and services going back many generations. It is a part of our heritage and we consider it an honour to maintain this important relationship. The town always recognises Armed Forces Day and makes a significant contribution to Remembrance Day with the Parade through Brentwood. We will continue our support for many years to come.”
Kristina Carrington, the Ministry of Defence’s Regional Employer Engagement Director for East Anglia, added: “We are delighted and humbled that twenty-eight of our employers have been awarded a Silver Award and a further forty have revalidated their award for a further five years. Following, what has been a difficult few years for us all, they have gone above and beyond to support our Armed Forces Community – they have our sincerest thanks."
The Employer Recognition Scheme is designed primarily to recognise private sector support although public sector organisations such as the emergency services, local authorities, NHS trusts and executive agencies are also eligible to be recognised.
As well as signing the Armed Forces Covenant, ensuring service personnel/armed forces community are not unfairly disadvantaged as part of the council’s recruiting and selection processes and supporting the Reservists who work with the Council to take their training - are just some of the criteria the Council needed to demonstrate in order to qualify for the Silver Award.
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