More than 200 employers – from FTSE 100 companies and emergency services, to local councils and high street names – have been recognised for their exceptional support to the Armed Forces community.
These Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award winners show that supporting Defence is not just the right thing to do, it also makes strong business sense.
Since its launch in 2014, the Gold Award has become the highest badge of honour for employers who champion Veterans, Reservists, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and military families in the workplace. This year’s winners demonstrate the power of values-led leadership, creating more inclusive, resilient, and dynamic organisations.
Minister for Veterans and People, Al Carns DSO OBE MC MP, said: “Employers are crucial partners in protecting our security and boosting the economy. By backing Veterans, Reservists, military families, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and the Cadet movement, these organisations build resilient communities and the innovation Defence needs. I congratulate them and thank them for their outstanding commitment.”
To achieve Gold, employers must:
- Provide at least 10 days’ additional paid leave for Reservists.
- Implement HR policies for Veterans and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
- Advocate for Defence across their networks and sectors.
- Demonstrate sustained commitment well beyond the minimum requirements.
- These organisations lead by example, helping to shift national attitudes and raise standards across their sectors.
From global finance and property to healthcare, retail and local government, this year’s 202 recipients highlight the growing range and depth of employer support.
The recipients include 14 organisations from the Highland RFCA area (listed below):
- 20/20 Business Insight Limited
- Andron Facilities Management
- Argyll and Bute Council
- Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels
- DLR Media Limited
- Falkirk Football Community Foundation
- Fife Sports and Leisure Trust
- G.H.Q. Spirits
- Glenhead Engineering Ltd
- Gogar Services Limited
- NHS Fife
- Offshore Energies UK (OEUK)
- O’Neill Ross Ltd
- Wings For Warriors
20/20 Business Insight Limited said: “We are incredibly proud to have been awarded Gold. It is a real honour to be recognised for our commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community. At 20/20, we deeply value the skills, experience and dedication that Service personnel, Veterans and their families bring. We are passionate about helping individuals transition into project management roles, providing training and connecting them with exciting career opportunities. Not only do we recognise their impact within our business, we proudly champion the outstanding contribution they make to the wider project profession. This achievement reflects the strength of our values and our continued drive to create opportunities for those who have served.”
Andron Facilities Management said: “At Andron, we are honoured to receive the Gold Award. Supporting the Armed Forces community fits naturally with our purpose-over-profit values and our long-standing commitment to people and communities. Whether it’s fundraising for cadets or sharing job opportunities on platforms like the Career Transition Partnership and Forces Families Jobs, we’re proud to show our support for those who serve. This Award is a meaningful moment in our ongoing journey to make a positive difference.”
Argyll and Bute Council Armed Forces Champion, Councillor William Sinclair, said: “I am delighted and immensely proud that the Council has achieved the Gold Award. Argyll and Bute has a long and proud relationship with our Armed Forces. This relationship has further developed with the investment in HMNB Clyde providing opportunities for the Council and Royal Navy to formally work together to benefit serving personnel, their families and the wider community. Those who have served, or continue to serve, this country have a range of skills that add value to any workplace. From cadets, to Veterans, volunteers to Reservists, we are delighted to offer a warm welcome as an employer of choice here in Argyll and Bute. We will also continue to recommend the benefits of the Employment Recognition Scheme to businesses throughout the region.”
Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels said: “We’re honoured to receive the Gold Award. Following our Silver Award in 2024, this recognition reflects our continued commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community – a cause close to our organisation, especially with our Chair and CEO Stephen Leckie serving as Lord-Lieutenant of Perth and Kinross. Over the past year, we’ve been proud to take part in engagement activities including the Scotland and Northern Ireland Cadet Region Engagement Day and the HMS Scotia Capability Demonstration. We’re proud to stand beside our Service personnel, Veterans, Reservists, and cadets, both as an employer and as a partner.”
DLR Media Limited said: “We are incredibly proud to receive the Gold Award, which reflects our deep commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community. At DLR Media, we recognise the value that Service personnel, Veterans, and their families bring to the workforce. This Award is a testament to our continued efforts to honour that contribution through meaningful action.”
Falkirk Football Community Foundation said: “We are deeply honoured to receive the Gold Award. This prestigious recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting members of the Armed Forces community and championing inclusive employment practices. We remain dedicated to fostering opportunity, respect, and long-term impact through all aspects of our work.”
Fife Sports and Leisure Trust said: “We are honoured to win a Gold Award! Having proudly previously held the Silver Award, this Award reflects our continued commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community. This recognition isn’t just about an Award, it’s about living by our organisations core values. It’s also about fostering a culture that values the dedication of our Armed Forces community and supports their journey beyond service.”
Glenhead Engineering Ltd said: “We are delighted to have been awarded Gold. We look forward to continuing to develop our skilled team with the support and assistance of Highland RFCA, the Armed Forces and their families. As part of our work we commit to encourage our customers and suppliers to sign the Armed Forces Covenant.”
G.H.Q. Spirits said: “We are humbled to receive a Gold Award. It is one of our core values to give back, and to support those who serve and have served in our military.”
Gogar Services Limited Senior Management Team said: “We are delighted and honoured to receive this Gold Award in recognition of our commitment and support to all the Armed Forces, Veterans and cadet personnel and organisations we have supported. Our Veterans and Reservists are a now very much an integral part of our dedicated and highly disciplined workforce and we are extremely proud of attaining this achievement.”
NHS Fife Chief Executive, Carol Potter, said: “NHS Fife is delighted to be awarded Gold status in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. Our organisation has enormous respect for our Armed Forces community, both past and present, whose courage continues to inspire us all. NHS Fife employs a considerable number of retired Armed Forces personnel and serving Reservists, each of whom brings a wide variety of transferable skills that benefit their patients and colleagues alike. As proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, we are incredibly proud to be awarded Gold status in recognition of the ongoing support we provide to serving members of our Armed Forces, Veterans, and their families, each and every day.”
Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) said: “We are delighted to be recognised as a Gold recipient. This reflects the hard work that has been undertaken by many across industry in support of the Armed Forces and reinforces our commitment to support Armed Forces personnel, their families and those involved with cadets. The work by OEUK and its members will continue as we promote further the opportunities that working in offshore industry provides and we look forward to seeing other organisations gain recognition via the Employer Recognition Scheme.”
O’Neill Ross Ltd said: “We’re proud that O’Neill Ross Ltd has received the Gold Award, building on the Silver we previously achieved. The Armed Forces Covenant offers a moment to reflect on the evolving relationship between Defence and society — and the creative industries can play a role in facilitating that conversation. Throughout history, artists and creative practitioners have contributed to national efforts in unexpected ways — from trench camouflage developed by artists from the Royal College of Art in 1916 to the Camouflage Officers of the Special Operations Executive who came from Britain’s film and theatre industry in the 1940s. At O’Neill Ross Ltd, we’re interested in how creative practice can continue to engage critically and constructively with these legacies today, and remain committed to making accommodations for colleagues who choose to serve.”
Wings For Warriors said: “We are all, beneficiaries, Trustees, staff and supporters, thrilled at winning this most prestigious Award.”
Highland RFCA
Highland RFCA is a Crown Agency which supports the Reserve Forces and Cadets in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
