The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) encourages employers to support defence and inspire others to do the same. The scheme encompasses Bronze, Silver and Gold awards for employer organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the Armed Forces community, and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.

The ERS is designed primarily to recognise private sector support although public sector organisations such as the emergency services, local authorities, NHS trusts and executive agencies are also eligible to be recognised.

We (UHS) achieved Silver Award in July 2024.

Silver award

Silver award holders:

must have signed the Armed Forces Covenant
must already be accredited as a holder of ERS Bronze Award and must have held it with sufficient time to develop suitable plans, policies and evidence to support the ERS Silver application - the employer must proactively demonstrate that service personnel and the armed forces community are not unfairly disadvantaged as part of their recruiting and selection processes
must actively ensure that their workforce is aware of their positive policies towards defence people issues - e.g. an employer nominated for support to the Reserves must have an internally-publicised and positive HR policy on Reserves
within the context of Reserves, the employer must have demonstrated support to mobilisations or have a framework in place, demonstrating support to training by providing at least 5 days’ additional unpaid/paid leave (wherever possible not to Reservist employees’ financial disadvantage)
must not have been the subject of any negative PR or media activity
the employer should demonstrate support to the Cadet movement as a whole by providing proactive support to individual cadets and/or to local cadet units.

The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) 2025 Silver Award expression of interest window is now open - Silver Award expression of interest form

View the 2024 ERS Silver Award holders