Biffa awarded Armed Forces Covenant Silver
MoD recognises commitment to supporting reservists and veterans
A commitment to recruiting and supporting ex-servicemen, women and reservists has earned Biffa a promotion from Bronze to Silver as part of the Armed Forces Covenant.
A sustainable leader in the UK’s waste and recycling industry, Biffa has been promoted up the ranks thanks to its ongoing support for the Armed Forces community, including increasing the paid leave for reservists. Military personnel often have skills relevant to the waste and recycling industry including logistics, leadership, engineering and incident management.
Carl Houston (pictured, top right), a Quality Assurance Manager for Biffa Polymers, served seven years in the Royal Corps of Signals before leaving in 2007. He said: “Life in the services is very different to civilian life, with everything structured and very little change. To try and convert experiences and qualities obtained in the forces into something of value to a new civilian employer is very difficult. However, Biffa is a fast-paced, growing, company with values that I can buy into. Skills that I obtained through my time serving in the forces are valued within the business, such as teamwork, problem solving, structure and adaptability. There are many advantages for ex-servicemen and women within Biffa. The company has a clear purpose, strong values and a focus on the health and wellbeing of colleagues, including the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which can provide counselling and support if needed, and inclusion in the workforce is part of Biffa’s ethos, meaning there is a place for everyone.”
Iain Hollington (top left), an IRM Contract Manager at Biffa, was formerly the Hazardous Waste Manager at RAF Marham. He said: “One night whilst browsing LinkedIn I saw the job and applied. The skills of multi-tasking, prioritising and self-discipline are very transferable and prepared me well for this role.”
Biffa was already a Bronze Award holder after signing the Armed Forces Covenant in 2019.
The company also has a range of family-friendly policies, including generous maternity leave, leave for IVF treatment and flexible working options.
David Whistlecraft, Biffa’s Learning & Development Manager, said: “Biffa has active reservists and ex-military colleagues within our 10,000-strong workforce and we continue to seek more, as it’s such a mutually beneficial arrangement. As a business we get high calibre candidates, and the service leaver gets an opportunity to work for a genuinely brilliant business that has a range of job opportunities to showcase their transferable skills.”