Talk us through your involvement with the Compass Group UK & Ireland Armed Forces Network.

I’ve been involved with the Network for over a decade, alongside my day job.

I took an interest in the Armed Forces and wider defence community after joining ESS, the Compass sector that provides foodservice and facilities management to military clients and customers. I saw first-hand the key roles that veterans, reservists, military spouses and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers play in our business every day, and I wanted to get involved and champion them.

I now co-chair the Network and have helped shape its direction, governance and delivery, both internally and externally. Our focus is on ensuring we deliver meaningful, practical support for our Armed Forces cohorts and their families, while aligning closely with our defence clients, charities and wider partners.

I’m driven by turning advocacy into action by helping the Network grow its reach across Compass, strengthening governance through an active volunteer committee and ensuring the voices of our Armed Forces community and allies are heard.

What does the Network do?

We drive a variety of activities and initiatives to support, advocate for and promote the Armed Forces community, both within Compass and externally to our military communities, industry partners and charitable and recruitment partners.

We connect stakeholders to encourage shared learning and collaboration, with the aim of enhancing the experiences of the defence community.

A key objective for us is to promote inclusive employment pathways for those with links to the Armed Forces – whether that’s creating and promoting great career opportunities or recognising the challenges that groups such as spouses face when required to move to new locations on a regular basis.

We strive to create a workplace where both military service and family life are recognised, valued and celebrated. The Network provides a forum for employees to share their stories, access support and help to shape policies that encourage inclusion.

What are some of the Network’s key achievements?

I’m proud that we continue to grow in size and impact, with the following successes being particular highlights for me:

• Achieving double ‘Gold’ status in the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme, supporting Compass’ longstanding Armed Forces Covenant commitment.

• Developing and embedding a series of military policies, including our Reservist Policy and our Spouses Policy, which take steps to support the needs of these groups.

• Embedding Armed Forces inclusion into Compass’ wider people strategy, with the Armed Forces Network now recognised as one of the company’s Inclusion and Belonging networks, strengthening our reach.

• Being Highly Commended as an impactful employee resource group (ERG) at the WiHTL & Diversity in Retail Inclusion‑in Awards, featuring in the Top 50 Great British Employers for Veterans and winning the business category at the Celebrating Forces Families Awards in 2025.

• Strengthening longstanding partnerships with charities such as the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity, SSAFA and the Forces Employment Charity, enabling us to support the great work they do.

What can we look forward to from the Network?

We’ll continue focusing on deepening our impact through activities that make a real difference. This will involve working even more closely with our defence clients, charities and wider partners to develop our strategy and provide support that feels joined‑up and genuinely meaningful.

Drawing on the benefits of being one of Compass’ Inclusion and Belonging networks, we’ll maintain our strong links with senior leaders across the business to ensure our policies and initiatives translate to lived experiences for our Armed Forces community.

We’ll keep on building clear pathways into sustainable careers and provide ongoing support once people are in role.

What do you believe veterans and the wider defence community bring to the workplace?

Veterans and the wider defence community bring so much to our workplace – professionalism, resilience, adaptability, teamwork and a strong sense of purpose to name a few examples.

Many are used to operating in complex environments, delivering in challenging circumstances and enabling themselves and others to perform under pressure. These skills all translate brilliantly into the workplace. Likewise, military family members are often resilient and adaptable, as well as understanding the importance of the services we provide.

When organisations appreciate and value these experiences and put practical measures in place to target these cohorts when recruiting, they have access to a bank of talented, committed people who can play a large part in their future success.