DHL RECEIVES ARMED FORCES COVENANT GOLD AWARD IN THE DEFENCE EMPLOYER RECOGNITION SCHEME

Award recognises concerted recruitment effort and programmes to support Armed Services veterans and Reservists in the workplace

DHL Supply Chain has been awarded Gold status in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant since 2015, DHL is committed to supporting and advocating for service leavers and their families.

Since DHL was first awarded Gold status in 2017, the company has expanded its programme further to offer more relevant and valuable support services, and recruited a significant number of veterans, with over 520 joining in the last 12 months.

In achieving Gold for the second time, DHL has been recognised for its proactive approach to recruitment and career development, as well as employing a dedicated Armed Forces recruiter with a military background.

To help overcome the challenge some service leavers face when entering civilian careers, DHL provides CV writing coaching, as well as a tailored recruitment process that looks for individual pathways for veterans, matching skills and capabilities with roles and translating the relevance of ranks and experience. This helps ensure that candidates aren’t overlooked.

Once in employment, a buddy scheme and a dedicated group in DHL’s employee app gives colleagues the opportunity to connect with fellow veterans for advice, coaching and support. 

Jim Hartshorne, MD Retail, Consumer and Ireland, DHL Supply Chain said: “By creating an environment for a community to come together, we’ve seen our veteran colleagues support one another, provide guidance for others looking for second careers and become advocates for the logistics industry. We’d strongly encourage more businesses in our industry to join the Covenant and take part in the scheme.”

Going forward, DHL plans to build on the success of the programme with further efforts to attract more women service leavers, while providing support and career opportunities for spouses or children of Armed Services personnel or service leavers.