Landmarc Support Services (Landmarc), which manages the UK Defence Training Estate in partnership with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), has been recognised as a Business in the Community (BITC) 2020 Responsible Business Champion.
Landmarc was awarded the accolade on the 2 September for its leadership as an age-friendly employer across its workforce, a cause which BITC supports by helping employers respond effectively to the ageing population as well as the needs of both young and mature workers.
David Jones, Landmarc’s Head of HR said: “At Landmarc, we believe that a diverse workforce is the secret to a thriving business, and age diversity is one of the areas we actively embrace. Key contributors are that around 25 per cent of our team are veterans or reservists embarking on a second career, as well as our need to actively recruit from rural communities due to the remote locations of our sites. Here, the average age can be up to 5.5 years older than in urban areas, with 24.3 per cent of England’s rural population aged 65 plus.
“These factors mean that we have a broad range of family friendly and flexible working policies to cater for the varying needs of our people, which have also proved particularly beneficial to help adapt working practices during this year’s COVID-19 pandemic.”
BITC praised, in particular, the company’s age-friendly working patterns, which include support for taking care of young families, assisting with caring responsibilities or transitioning towards retirement.
Over the past two years, the company has also recruited a quarter of all new starters from the 55 plus age category, helping to contribute to the Government’s commitment to increase the number of workers over 50.
Landmarc Managing Director, Mark Neill, said: “We are delighted to have been recognised as a BITC Responsible Business Champion and aim to lead by example in this area. Hopefully our experience will encourage other organisations to fully embrace an age diverse workforce, challenge perceptions about age, remove barriers, value experience and unlock the opportunities of multigenerational teams.
“As a business, we take great pride in stimulating a culture where employees of all ages are able to teach, share and learn from each other, enabling us to nurture a diverse workforce that delivers best in class services to our Armed Forces.”
Amanda Mackenzie OBE, Chief Executive of Business in the Community, said: “Huge congratulations to Landmarc Support Services and our other responsible business champions. In one of the most challenging years yet for responsible businesses, it is a comfort to know that there are organisations like this, whose clear purpose and powerful leadership can set an example to their supply chain and the industry at large. Our 2020 awards may not have been business as usual but they leave us in no doubt that the UK has everything that it needs to build back responsibly.”
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BITC Business in the Community DIO Landmarc
Post written by: Matt Brown
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