Beyond Housing has been recognised as a leading employer for its commitment to supporting the armed forces community, receiving the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme silver award.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise made by government, businesses, local authorities, charities, and the public to help ensure people who are serving or who have served in the armed forces are treated fairly.
Beyond Housing signed up to the scheme in February 2020, achieving bronze level recognition in April.
It has now been awarded silver level accreditation for providing tangible support for the armed forces community and meeting the specific criteria laid down by the Employer Recognition Scheme.
Some of the many actions introduced by Beyond Housing so far have included:
- The offer of up to two weeks unpaid leave to reservist employees for annual training commitments
- Allowing mobilised reservists to take a career break of up to six months without having to meet the usual three-year service qualifying criteria for a sabbatical
- Encourageming veterans, service leavers and reservists to apply for vacancies, with a guarantee that if they meet the essential criteria on the person specification they will be invited to the selection process or interview
- Advertising all roles on the Forces Career Transition Partnership portal and the Forces Families Jobs website to encourage them to apply
Catherine Clennett, Beyond Housing head of Human Resources, said: “We are very pleased to receive this valued recognition of our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.
“We have achieved a great deal in the initiatives that we have so far brought into play, but we are looking forward to further developing our contribution in a number of directions, including using our influence and encouraging our partners to join us in this very worthwhile scheme.”
Beyond Housing is one of the largest registered housing providers in the North East and North Yorkshire.
With its regional offices in Redcar and Scarborough, the organisation is responsible for the letting, management, and maintenance of over 15,000 homes across the north east and North Yorkshire.
Beyond Housing is a Community Benefit Society registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 and regulated by both the Homes and Communities Agency and the Financial Conduct Authority.
Main image: (L-R) Beyond Housing chief executive Rosemary Du Rose, board chair James Hayward, and head of HR Catherine Clennett
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