Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, has been awarded the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award 2017 for its on-going commitment to the Armed Forces community.
The ERS Gold Award is the highest badge of honour for organisations who have signed the Armed Forces Covenant having demonstrated outstanding support for those who serve and have served. As part of the Armed Forces Covenant, Balfour Beatty seeks to support the employment of veterans young and old, in addition to supporting employees who choose to be members of the Reserve Forces, by accommodating their training and deployment.
Balfour Beatty’s Armed Forces Forum, which operates across the UK, focuses on the recruitment, retention, development and support of ex-military personnel and is making strides towards a greater Armed Forces community throughout the company. For example, Balfour Beatty’s West Sussex County Council contract, which sees the local authority’s maintenance, upgrade and management services outsourced to Balfour Beatty, has a workforce comprised of 10% ex-military.
Paul Raby, Balfour Beatty Group Human Resources Director, commented: “We are delighted to have been recognised for our commitment to our Armed Forces colleagues. Creating a sense of community for our Armed Forces personnel across Balfour Beatty is of great importance and we are proud to be recognised as an employer of choice for Armed Forces leavers.
“Many Armed Forces leavers have transferable skills which are ideally suited to the construction sector. We recognise the business benefits associated with having a diverse workforce and are committed to offering a rewarding career, with opportunities for continued development.”
Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, said: “These companies have shown the gold standard of commitment to supporting members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. They have taken meaningful steps to ensure the Defence community are not disadvantaged by the sacrifice they make in helping keep this country safe. The actions of these employers make it crystal clear that regardless of size, location, or sector, employing people with military skills is good for business.”
ENDS
Media enquiries to:
Cassie Farrar
Balfour Beatty
t: +44 (0) 207 963 2150
e: cassie.farrar@balfourbeatty.com
For all non-media related enquiries please contact +44 (0)20 7216 6800 or info@balfourbeatty.com
Notes to editors:
• Balfour Beatty (www.balfourbeatty.com) is a leading international infrastructure group. With 30,000 employees, we provide innovative and efficient infrastructure that underpins our daily lives, supports communities and enables economic growth. We finance, develop, build and maintain complex infrastructure such as transportation, power and utility systems, social and commercial buildings.
• Our main geographies are the UK, US and Far East. Over the last 100 years we have created iconic buildings and infrastructure all over the world including the London Olympics’ Aquatic Centre, Hong Kong’s first Zero Carbon building, the National Museum of the Marine Corps in the US and the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.
• As a global company, it is critical to our success that our employees are as diverse as the customers and communities we serve.
• Balfour Beatty is committed to creating an environment where all our employees can be themselves at work and perform at their best. With a number of major infrastructure projects in the pipeline, Balfour Beatty aims to meet current and future skills demand by attracting and retaining the best available talent and is committed to removing the barriers to inclusivity across the industry. A new diversity and inclusion 3-year blue-print has been created which sets out our strategic aims, objectives and metrics in support of our endeavours.
• With 30,000 employees and a wide network of partners and suppliers, we are committed to recognizing and respecting the differences between people whilst valuing the contribution that everyone can make to Balfour Beatty.
• Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty’s CEO, is the board level sponsor for D&I. Leo has established a Steering Committee to govern strategic D&I activities across the UK and track progress against a 3-year plan.
