OREANDA-NEWS. June 29, 2015. J.P. Morgan today announced that it has signed the British Armed Forces Corporate Covenant at an official signing ceremony held at the firm's London headquarters. The Covenant was co-signed by Rupert Terry, Global Head of Human Resources for J.P. Morgan Asset Management and Human Resources sponsor for the firm's military and veterans business resource group in EMEA, and Lieutenant General Mark Poffley, Deputy Chief of the General Staff. The Corporate Covenant was established in 2011 by the Ministry of Defence to encourage businesses to confirm and demonstrate their support of the Armed Forces community in the U.K.

Under the Covenant, J.P. Morgan has affirmed its commitment to the British Armed Forces by seeking to support the employment of ex-military personnel, their spouses and partners, as well as to support its employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces through flexible work schedules and paid leave. By signing, the firm will uphold the Covenant's key principles, which are:

  • No member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
  • In some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate, especially for the injured or bereaved

In addition to helping find employment, J.P. Morgan continues to assist ex-military personnel transitioning into private sector jobs in the U.K. The firm's Ex-Military Internship Programme, now in its fifth year, helps military candidates transition into the job market, providing candidates the opportunity to gain exposure into financial services as well as strengthen their skills and experience, and to build a network within J.P. Morgan.

The firm also hosts a number of Service Leavers' Financial Services Events in the U.K. which gives ex-military personnel who wish to embark on a career in the financial sector the opportunity to network with senior staff and those who have already successfully transitioned from the Armed Forces into positions at the firm.

"We are a proud supporter of the Armed Forces community and will continue to actively seek out service leavers with an interest in financial services," said Rupert Terry, Human Resources sponsor for the firm's EMEA Voices of Employees That Served (VETS) business group. "Ex-military personnel have the integrity, work ethic, discipline, and team working skills required to be successful in our industry, and we hope that signing the Corporate Covenant will encourage these individuals to seek a career at J.P. Morgan."

"Signing today's Corporate Covenant is a significant step in the very strong relationship between J.P. Morgan and Defence, and the example set by J.P. Morgan in supporting Reservists, Veterans, their families, and the families of those serving on operations worldwide is magnificent, and is greatly appreciated by all of us in the wider Service family," said Lieutenant General Mark Poffley, Deputy Chief of the General Staff. "The firm's efforts for ex- Forces staff are positive initiatives to help those leaving the Forces to find a place in the financial services sector. The schemes have been immensely useful to so many finding their key first job after the Services."

J.P. Morgan's signing of the Corporate Covenant builds upon the firm's larger commitment to help military members, veterans and their families successfully transition to their post military service lives.  Since 2011, JPMorgan Chase has also helped U.S. veterans and military family members through its employment, housing and education programmes. JPMorgan Chase is a founder of the 100,000 Jobs Mission, a coalition of 190 U.S. companies dedicated to hiring veterans and military spouses.