Caption – Chamber Members Ubi-Tech (3R) Ltd collecting their employee recognition scheme award
The Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is proud to be part of a unique project aimed at providing support to the Chamber network and its Members in making an informed, meaningful and proactive pledge to the Armed Forces Covenant throughout England and Wales.
Chamber Military Network is the first project of its type to be funded by the Forces in Mind Trust and is fully supported by Defence Relationship Management and the British Chambers of Commerce. The Black Country Chamber of Commerce is the project’s delivery agent and we work together with British Chamber’s, their business members, West Midland Reserve Forces and Cadets Association and the wider Armed Forces Community to encourage the signing and carrying out of Armed Forces covenant pledge commitments.
Philip Sinclair, Regional Employer Engagement Director Employer Engagement Team, West Midlands, said:
“Having signed the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC), H&W Chamber of Commerce have been very proactive already in raising awareness of the Covenant amongst their members, signposting me in my role as a Regional Employer Engagement Director for the MOD, to those organisations keen to learn more about it, and also about Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme, where the MOD seeks to recognise our most supportive employers appropriately.
“I am also delighted that H&W is working so closely with their Member organisation Ubi-Tech 3R Ltd. Ubi-Tech is a veteran owned business and are themselves holders of the Silver ERS award. Fantastic advocates of the Covenant, I look forward to welcoming as members of the Gold Alumni Association, hopefully this year! I see Chamber Military Network becoming a huge success and a model for other institutions to follow, thus ensuring that as a nation we will continue to pledge that together we acknowledge and understand that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society they serve with their lives.”
To date more than 5000 organisations have signed the Armed Forces Covenant including businesses and charities nationwide. Chamber Military Network will see Chambers and their members undertake the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant and deliver their employment pledges as part of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).
Dawn Hardman, Director of HR Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, said:
“The Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is very proud to have such a close association and relationship with the West Midland Reserve Forces and Cadets Association and fully support the new Chamber Military Network project. We are well positioned to be able to promote the campaigns and benefits to encourage local businesses to further engage and support our reservists and of course promote the benefits to employers of such a relationship.”
The Chamber became Covenant signatories in 2019 when they organised a “Bugle Breakfast” in Herefordshire. Local businesses were invited along to hear about the Armed Forces Covenant which was a huge success. The Chamber are now working towards their silver ERS accreditation and regularly hold events and support campaigns such as Armed Forces week to introduce businesses to the benefits of working with members of the Armed Forces community.
Richard Lee, Managing Director Ubi-Tech (3R) Ltd, said:
“The Chamber is extremely pro-active and since joining we have benefited from free training seminars, attendance at industry events such as Expo, speaking opportunities and also support in our endeavours to deliver our training into Europe. We have been a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant since its first inception and we are proud to be so. We are now Silver ERS award holders, the covenant has raised our profile on social media, and we have benefited from the networking opportunities that have come our way from meeting other like-minded organisations.”
The success of the Chamber Military Network was recently recognised as 4 Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber Members were amongst 127 new employees awarded Gold Accreditation. Congratulations to Herefordshire Council, NMiTE, Spectra Group and Level Peaks Associates.
For more information about Chamber Military Network email [email protected] or visit: www.chambermilitarynetwork.co.uk.