Armed Forces at Tesco

We work to support colleagues and people in the Armed Forces community. Armed Forces at Tesco brings together both former and current members of the Armed Forces and those who want to show their support, as well as coordinating activities to help colleagues meet each other and find their way at Tesco. For us there are three groups of people we think we can make the biggest difference to.

The first is in providing support to former service personnel in their search for a civilian job – this may not necessarily be with Tesco. We recognise the value of their exceptional transferable skills such as leadership, an ability to cope under pressure, and the ability to work in a team as a part of a large-scale organisation. If veterans decide a career at Tesco is for them then they can be assured that the support does not end with their employment. For example, Veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can have up to ten days (pro rata) off work to attend specialist treatment through a recognised support organisation each year.

Recognising the qualities military service brings to people in our business, we also seek to support colleagues who are reservists. Tesco’s policies allow them paid time off to attend compulsory two week training each year and an additional five days off (pro-rata) each year to support their reservist activities.

The final group we’re looking to support is the families of serving members of the armed forces. Where we have family members of service personnel employed, we will be flexible and accommodating to allow them to have time off before their loved one is deployed. We also work to transfer colleagues where they need to move elsewhere in the UK due to military reasons.

We are proud to be a Gold member Government’s Armed Forces Covenant which is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. We first signed the Covenant in 2014 and re-signed again in 2018.