The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme recognises those exemplar employers who go the extra mile to show their support for the Armed Forces community.
There are three tiers of award – Bronze, Silver and Gold – for employers who first pledge, then demonstrate, then advocate support to the Armed Forces Community in alignment with the Armed Forces Covenant.
Before the employer is able to apply for an award they must first pledge their commitment by signing the Armed Forces Covenant. Covenant templates are available online. If you would like to speak to someone about adding your own pledges, or other queries please contact wm-ee@rfca.mod.uk.
Bronze Award
Bronze 
Award holders are self-nominated employers who pledge to support the Armed Forces, including existing or prospective employees who are members of the community.
Bronze Award holders seek to promote being Armed Forces friendly and are open to employing Reservists, Armed Forces veterans (including wounded, injured and sick), Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and military spouses/partners.
Silver Award
Silver Award holders must proactively demonstrate that service personnel and the armed forces community are not unfairly disadvantaged as part of their recruiting and selection processes. The employer must actively ensure that their workforce is aware of their positive policies towards defence people issues.
Silver Award holders support Reservists by demonstrating flexibility to allow them to fulfil their annual training and mobilisation commitments. They must demonstrate support to training by providing at least 5 days' additional unpaid/paid leave.
Silver Award holders should demonstrate support to the Cadet movement as a whole by providing proactive support to individual cadets and/or to local cadet units.
Gold Award
Gold Award holders proactively advocate and support Defence, communicating their commitment both internally to employees and externally to the wider community, through established policies and examples of support.
Gold Award holders must proactively demonstrate their forces-friendly credentials as part of their recruiting and selection processes. Where possible, they should be engaged with Career Transition Partnership (CTP) in the recruitment of service leavers and have registered for the Forces Families Jobs (FFJ) portal.
Gold Award holders demonstrate significant support for Reservists, enabling them to fulfil their annual training and mobilisation commitments. They must provide at least 10 days additional leave for training, fully paid, to the Reservist employee.
Gold Award holders should be an exemplar in demonstrating support to the Cadet movement. This could, for example, be through mentoring cadets in key employment skills, by providing guaranteed interviews for cadets, by direct investment in equipment and infrastructure for a local cadet unit, or by funding and sponsoring competitions, events, and specific activities for cadets such as overseas expeditions. The employer promotes volunteering with the cadet forces from their workforce, by providing additional leave for employees who are Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs).
To register for a Bronze award or nominate an employer for Silver or Gold please visit the Government's Employer Recognition Scheme webpage.
