Society of Occupational Medicine
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-10)

We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.

The Armed Forces Covenant

An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families

The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.

Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

1.1 We Society of Occupational Medicine will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment

2.1 Society of Occupational Medicine recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Reservists
- Armed Forces Day
We also pledge the following:

offer training sessions in mental health to occupational health professionals in the military acting as mentor for occupational health nurses and doctors in the military advise, support, and facilitate the alternative practice experiences required for occupational health nurses undertaking courses in occupational health approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council offer to present one or more papers at the military occupational health conferences which are held annually/biennially provide opportunities that support military occupational health professionals, including physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals, to achieve publications within occupational health specialist journals or to present at specialist conferences facilitate networking between military personnel and SOM members who are currently serving, are reservists, or have served in the services link with military occupational medicine professionals re workplace visits support opportunities to work within occupational health for veterans young and old seeking to support our employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces, including by accommodating their training and deployment where possible; actively participate in Armed Forces Day; supporting opportunities for armed forces personnel to undertake internships with SOM in preparation for them leaving the army to enter civilian life. This may be the result of life changing injuries or completion of their contract (not sure if contract is the correct term will see if I can get the correct term from one of my army graduates Will, as a reservist, may have a better word) supporting the personal development of the children of armed forces personnel as they prepare to enter the world of work by offering internships with SOM

2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.