Independent parcel carrier Yodel is celebrating being one of the UK’s top armed forces employers with a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award. A Yodel trailer now bears the Ministry of Defence Gold award logo and another 50 trailers have been decorated with poppies, to help raise money for the Royal British Legion.
The move comes after Yodel formally collected the Gold Award at the Ministry of Defence ceremony, celebrating the UK’s top armed forces-friendly employers. Gold is the highest level of award available and is only bestowed by the Ministry of Defence to organisations who have gone above and beyond the Armed Forces Covenant commitment.
Yodel currently employs 70 military veterans, reservists, volunteers and spouses across the business, including support staff at its main Hatfield and Liverpool offices, customer delivery depot managers and drivers.
In 2018 the company donated £10,000 to Walking With The Wounded, a not for profit organisation that supports ex-servicemen and women who have struggled with their transition from the military to re-integrate back into society. Yodel and Walking With The Wounded have since formed a partnership, which has seen Yodel recruit people from within the charity’s network of ex-service members. This year, Yodel colleagues also supported the charity by joining serving military personnel and reservists on a series of walking challenges through the Lake District for their annual fundraising event, the Cumbrian Challenge.
In 2017 Yodel appointed a service veteran to a newly created post of Armed Forces Champion in order to support ex-forces personnel even further. The dedicated role was created to help increase understanding of the service community and be more effective in attracting and supporting those who are transitioning to civilian life. The business also advocates and advertises its opportunities to service personnel through its social media channels, and utilises its internal communications channels to share with the wider business what the military team have organised and been involved in.
John Hughes, executive chairman at Yodel said: “At Yodel we are delighted to showcase our steadfast commitment to the armed forces by decorating our trailers with poppies and branding a trailer with the Ministry of Defence’s Gold Award logo. We see first-hand the benefits and skillsets that employing ex-service personnel can bring to a business day in, day out. Veterans play a vital part in sharing knowledge and experience across the Yodel family, and we will continue to champion their positive role in the business.”
