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Outdoor estate compliance experts, OUTCO, has pledged its support for the armed forces and veterans by signing the Armed Forces Covenant.
The AFC is a pledge from OUTCO to honour the Armed Forces and support the Armed Forces Community. By signing the pledge, OUTCO is recognising the value that serving personnel, both regular, reservists, veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.
OUTCO commits to uphold its key principles in its business dealings, namely:
- No member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- In some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Explaining why these principles are so fundamental to OUTCO, Andrew Barry, CEO, OUTCO said: “This pledge reaffirms our commitments to this partnership – now and into the future. Through these specific initiatives we plan to grow our Armed Forces community. As well as being the right thing to do for our country, we greatly appreciate the immense expertise and capability these talented individuals bring to our business. We are therefore absolutely committed to offering a working environment that gives them the best possible support.”
OUTCO has pledged to implement specific commitments to offer support for military personnel, their families and proactively foster pathways to new careers following military service. To support the employment of veterans, OUTCO will recognise military skills and qualifications in its recruitment and selection process, work with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) to support the employment of service leavers, and work with organisations such as White Ensign to facilitate job placements.
Building sustainable career paths goes beyond recruitment, and OUTCO will establish a Forces Network and mentoring scheme to help new employees build connections and successfully navigate the challenges of their new lives. Conversely, given the wealth of advantages that military life brings to the workplace, all employees will be actively encouraged should they wish to serve within the Reserve Forces. The company will also proactively foster employment opportunities for service spouses and partners, including providing flexibility in granting leave before during and after their partners’ deployments.
