Simpkins Edwards LLP
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 Simpkins Edwards LLP 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 Simpkins Edwards LLP 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 Service Spouses And Partners
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- UK Reservists
- UK Cadets
- Armed Forces Day
- Armed Forces Charities
We also pledge the following:

-promoting the fact that we are an armed forces-friendly organisation; o We promote Armed Forces content across our website, in press releases and on social media (Linkedln, Twitter and Facebook). -seeking to support the employment of veterans young and old: o All new jobs are published on CTP Right Job, increasing the number of Armed Forces personnel that have access to Armed Forces friendly firms. o We welcome applications from and guarantee interviews with Veterans, young and old, who meet the criteria in the job specification, as we recognise their military skills brought to the workplace. o All job adverts posted on social media feature our ERS Silver Award badge, allowing us to reach a greater Armed Forces audience. striving to support the employment of Service spouses and partners; o We advertise all jobs on Forces Families Jobs and Recruit for Spouses, in order to reach a greater audience and those searching for an Armed Forces friendly employer. o We welcome applications from and guarantee interviews with spouses/partners who meet the criteria in the job specification. o All job adverts posted on social media feature our ERS Silver Award badge, allowing us to reach a greater Armed Forces audience -seeking to support our employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces, including accommodating their training and deployment where possible; o Staff are actively encouraged to become Reservists. o We accommodate Reserve training commitments wherever possible. o An additional 10 days paid leave. offering support to our local cadet units, either in our local community or in local schools, where possible; o Staff are actively encouraged to become members of the Cadet Forces. o We accommodate Cadet training commitments wherever possible. o Staff take time out of the office to volunteer at local Scout, Guide and Cadet units. o An additional 5 days unpaid leave. aiming to actively participate in Armed Forces Day; o Pafticipate in Armed Forces Day by promoting it on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Linkedln), continuing to post about encouraging other businesses to sign the Armed Forces Covenant during this time and joining Ìn with #SaluteOurForces o Encouraging employees to participate in Uniform to Work Day. additional commitments: o Encourage and support employee fundraising for Service Charities

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.