The Institute of Fire Safety Managers
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 The Institute of Fire Safety Managers 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 The Institute of Fire Safety Managers 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
We also pledge the following:

Promoting the Armed Forces: Promoting the fact that we are an Armed Forces-friendly organisa-tion, to our staff, customers, suppliers, contractors and wider public. Raising awareness and un-derstanding of the Armed Forces community within the areas of membership. We currently have a membership of 4000+ based across the UK, Middle East and the United States of America. Managers will be encouraged to use the annual Performance and Development review to explore how any employees military experience can be effectively applied in their work. Veterans: Veterans: supporting the employment of veterans, recognising military skills and quali-fications in our recruitment and selection process; working with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) to support the employment of Service leavers; Reserves: supporting our employees who are members of the Reserve Forces; granting addition-al paid/unpaid leave for annual Reserve Forces training; supporting any mobilisations and de-ployment; actively encouraging members of staff to become Reservists Employment support to members of the Armed Forces Community: Providing job opportuni-ties and career development for service members, veterans, and their families. If experienced but without formal qualifications, we will assist them to a recognised level of competence via our Ex-perienced Worker Scheme. We also offer a Mentoring Scheme for those who are qualified but with little experience, whereby the mentee will be allocated a mentor to assist them in following the pathway to competence. Supporting the employment of Service spouses and partners; partnering with the Forces Families Jobs Forum (https://www.forcesfamiliesjobs.co.uk/) Offering flexibility on annual leave for partners of Service personnel before, during and after their partners deployment: subject to operational requirements. The IFSM will consider allowing the employee to take an extended period of leave (from their standard annual entitlement) and/or allow leave to be carried forward into the following year or brought forward from the following year. Communications, engagement and outreach: Encouraging our membership to engage and sup-port the Armed Forces community through events and initiatives, this would include Armed Forces Days, Remembrance Sundays and Supporting Armed Forces Charities and supporting staff who volunteer to assist. Commercial: The IFSM is committed to the STEM Ambassador Scheme and will support Serving, Veterans and their families in becoming STEM Ambassadors. Health: Where Practicable Ensuring access to healthcare services and mental health support for the Armed Forces community. Education: Providing educational opportunities including pathways to competence and training for service members and their families. As a Training Provider the IFSM will support the serving and veteran, (including family members) communities in ensuring that courses are made availa-ble and promoted by advertising in military publications and through advertising in our quarterly magazine Daedalus and via marketing literature at Expos attended by the Institute. The Level 3 (RQF) Courses will attract funding via the MODs Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) Scheme. It is planned that the Institute will register to become a recognised training provider of the Enhanced Learner Credits Administration Service (ELCAS).

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.