The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has once again awarded Brunel University of London with the “highest badge of honour available” for its work supporting the British Armed Forces and its ex-service personnel.
The MoD’s gold Employer Recognition Scheme award was presented to Brunel for a second consecutive time at a special awards ceremony at London’s Household Cavalry Museum on 12 November.
In 2019, Brunel received the prestigious award for the first time, and this renewed recognition will last for a further five years.
Chris Stock, Brunel’s College Services Manager, who is himself a serving member of the Royal Naval Reserve, was honoured to collect the award on behalf of the university.
In 2016, Brunel became the first higher education institution in London to sign the Armed Forces Covenant. The pledge confirms its commitment to fully upholding a “promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the armed forces and their families are treated fairly”. Brunel continues to fulfil the covenant by supporting the military veterans and reservists among its staff and student communities, as well as those in the local borough and beyond.
Brunel staff and students marking Armistice Day 2024 on campus: Brunel’s Pro Vice-Chancellor
for Enterprise & Employment, Geoff Rodgers (centre), Human Resources Manager, Sofia Avgerinou
(front right), Chris Stock, Brunel’s College Services Manager, and serving member of the Royal Naval
Reserve (right), with Brunel students serving with the University of London Officers’ Training Corps and
University of London Air Squadron.
Mike Keighley, Brunel’s Armed Forces Covenant Champion and serving army reservist, who coordinated the case for revalidation, is delighted with the renewed recognition. “The gold status being successfully revalidated confirms that Brunel continues to be an exemplary employer,” he said. “It demonstrates that collectively, across the organisation, we recognise the value that serving personnel, both regular and reserve, veterans and military families contribute to our community and our country.
“Our excellent HR policies, veteran recruitment and charitable initiatives, along with our overall forces-friendly approach, have all contributed to this gold revalidation.”
Brunel currently has at least four serving reservists and six veterans among its staff community. The forces-friendly university grants 18 days of paid leave to serving members of the UK’s Reserve Forces and Cadet Force adult volunteers and works alongside Forces Families Jobs and the Career Transition Partnership to provide employment opportunities to service leavers and their families.
Within Brunel, there is also a vibrant armed forces network that brings together currently serving (regular and reservist), veteran, cadet force adult volunteers and spouses from both the staff and student communities.
Members of Brunel’s Armed Forces Network on campus
The award-winning university also supports Prince Harry’s Invictus Games by generously offering extensive free use of its sports facilities to the Royal British Legion to prepare Team UK athletes for the international event. Help for Heroes also uses the campus facilities for their community sports series for veterans.
A Team UK athlete training at Brunel for the 2023 Invictus Games
Brunel’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Prof Andrew Jones, said: “Brunel has a long history of supporting and working with our armed forces personnel, past, present and future, and it’s an honour to receive the Employer Recognition Scheme’s gold award once again.”
Reported by:
Nadine Palmer,
Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 267090
nadine.palmer@brunel.ac.uk