VPS UK Achieves Gold in the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme
At VPS UK, supporting the Armed Forces community has never been about achieving an award. It’s about creating opportunities, recognising talent and ensuring those who serve – or have served – are valued throughout their civilian careers.
We’re therefore incredibly proud to announce that we have been awarded the Gold Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Award by the Ministry of Defence, the highest honour available to organisations demonstrating exceptional support for the Armed Forces community through the Armed Forces Covenant. (GOV.UK)
The achievement has also been recognised by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, which has since joined the Armed Forces Covenant and is now championing its benefits across the Greater Manchester business community.
A journey of continuous commitment
This recognition builds on our previous Silver Employer Recognition Scheme Award, which acknowledged the policies and practical support we had embedded across our business.
Achieving Gold represents something more.
While Silver recognises organisations that actively support the Armed Forces community through employment practices and workplace policies, Gold is awarded to employers who demonstrate long-term commitment, lead by example and actively encourage others to recognise the value that members of the Armed Forces community bring to organisations across the UK. (GOV.UK)
For VPS, it reflects several years of continually developing our approach, ensuring that our commitment isn’t simply written into policy but demonstrated through action.
More than a badge
Members of the Armed Forces community bring a unique combination of resilience, adaptability, leadership and problem-solving skills.
These qualities align naturally with the work we do every day protecting people, property and infrastructure across the UK.
Supporting veterans, reservists and military families strengthens our business, but equally importantly, it strengthens our culture. We believe those who have served deserve workplaces that recognise the experience they bring and provide opportunities to continue making a meaningful contribution.
Gold recognises organisations where this support has become part of everyday business, not a standalone initiative. (GOV.UK)
Leading by example
One of the distinguishing features of the Gold Award is demonstrating leadership beyond your own organisation.
Throughout our journey, we’ve openly shared our experience of signing the Armed Forces Covenant and progressing through the Employer Recognition Scheme. By explaining the practical steps we’ve taken and the positive impact we’ve seen, we’re delighted that a number of other organisations have since chosen to make their own commitment to the Covenant.
Seeing others recognise the value of supporting the Armed Forces community has been one of the most rewarding outcomes of our own journey.
It reinforces something we’ve always believed: sharing good practice can create a wider positive impact that extends far beyond a single organisation.
Dave Butcher, Head of Digital Learning at VPS said:
When you’ve served in the Armed Forces, you understand the values that military life instils – teamwork, commitment, adaptability and leadership. Those qualities don’t disappear when someone leaves the Forces; they become an incredible asset to any organisation willing to recognise them.
Being able to help shape VPS’s Armed Forces Covenant journey has been a privilege. Achieving Gold is recognition of the commitment shown by colleagues across the business, but what gives me the greatest sense of pride is seeing our journey encourage other organisations to make the same commitment. Every new signatory creates more opportunities for those leaving military service, and that’s a legacy worth celebrating.
Looking ahead
Receiving the Gold Employer Recognition Scheme Award is an important milestone, but it isn’t the end of the journey.
We’ll continue to build on the commitments we’ve made through the Armed Forces Covenant, ensuring our policies, recruitment practices and workplace culture continue to support veterans, reservists and military families.
Because for us, supporting those who serve isn’t about recognition.
It’s about recognising the value they bring every single day.
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VPS Group business units Nexus and VPS Site Security are approved by the SIA. Within the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) for Security Guarding, Key Holding and CCTV.
SIA approval – Nexus and VPS Site Security
