Armed Forced Covenant

The Armed Forces Covenant is a lasting commitment between the people of the United Kingdom, His Majesty’s Government, and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown, as well as their families. The Government’s primary duty is to protect the realm, a responsibility fulfilled by our Armed Forces. In doing so, service members sacrifice certain civilian freedoms, face danger, and sometimes endure serious injury or death. Their families also contribute significantly to operational success. In recognition of this, the entire nation has a moral obligation to support and fairly treat these individuals.

Those currently serving in the Armed Forces—whether Regular or Reserve—as well as veterans and their families, should not be disadvantaged compared to other citizens when accessing public or commercial services. In some cases, especially involving injury or bereavement, special consideration may be appropriate.

Fulfilling this commitment is a responsibility that extends across society. It includes the involvement of voluntary and charitable organisations, private companies, and individuals. Honouring military service is a unifying act that reflects our appreciation, and no statement better expresses this respect than upholding the Armed Forces Covenant.

Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Covenant
‍At LION Culture Ltd, we commit to upholding the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant. We believe that members of the Armed Forces Community should not be disadvantaged in accessing public and commercial services as a result of their service. Additionally, we recognise that in some instances—particularly where there is injury or bereavement—special provisions are justified.

Section 2: Demonstrating Our Commitment
‍We deeply value the contributions of service personnel, reservists, veterans, cadet movement participants, and military families. Our commitment is demonstrated through action in the following areas:

‍Employment
‍LION Culture will actively support Reservists by offering additional annual leave—both paid and unpaid—enabling them to fulfil their duties. We will provide employment opportunities such as work placements, insight days, mentoring schemes, and interview programs tailored to veterans.

We are committed to supporting the employment of military spouses, partners, and dependants by offering short-notice leave when loved ones are deployed. We will work closely with the tri-Service Families Federations to achieve this.

LION Culture will promote initiatives like A Great Place to Work and Step into Health, supporting Armed Forces Community employment. We will also extend additional annual leave to Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, helping them meet training commitments.

Furthermore, we will collaborate with relevant charities and the Career Transition Partnership to create opportunities for those who are wounded, injured, or sick. Recognising the mobile nature of military life, we are also exploring remote work options for spouses and partners.

Communications, Engagement, and Outreach
‍LION Culture will provide training—including e-learning—for our staff to build awareness and understanding of the Armed Forces Community. We will actively promote the Armed Forces Covenant and the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme across our organisation, customers, and supply chain.

Our support extends to national events such as Armed Forces Day/Week, Reserves Day, the Poppy Appeal, and Remembrance activities. We will also include the Covenant and Employer Recognition Scheme logos in our marketing and communications to raise visibility.

To improve awareness and accessibility, we will develop a dedicated Armed Forces page on our website. Internally, we will establish an Armed Forces Network to connect staff with military ties and gather feedback. We will also appoint an Armed Forces Champion to coordinate and lead our support initiatives.

Additionally, we will collaborate with local Armed Forces charities and ensure our staff and community are informed of support services including Cobseo, Veterans’ Gateway, and local authorities. We aim to foster community through initiatives like coffee mornings and breakfast clubs for veterans.

Engagement will extend to local Armed Forces units—Army, RAF, Navy, and Reservist groups—as well as cooperation with other organisations to strengthen regional support for the Covenant.

Commercial
‍We are committed to offering commercial discounts to Armed Forces Community members through the Defence Discount Service. We will also ensure they can access our services without disadvantage, even when mobility or service-related constraints exist.

Health and Healthcare
‍LION Culture will support and promote awareness-raising initiatives, including veteran-friendly accreditation for GP practices and active participation in the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance.

Housing
‍We pledge to raise awareness about available housing and homelessness services for members of the Armed Forces Community, ensuring they can access appropriate support.

Education
‍We will advocate for the well-being of Service children, recognising the unique challenges they encounter. Our efforts will also promote training and further or higher education for Service leavers, veterans, and their families to support their personal and professional development.