Gateshead-based, Bloom Procurement Services is celebrating a Covenant Gold Award, for outstanding support towards the Armed Forces.
Having achieved Employers Recognition Scheme (HRS) bronze and becoming only one of 15 North of England organisations to receive the Silver Award, in 2023, Bloom was encouraged by its Defence Recognition Partner to pursue the Gold Award, due to its unwavering commitment to the Armed Forces, including the hire of former veteran of nine years, in the same year.
The news follows the company’s recent success at the North East HR&D Awards, where it won the Excellence in Armed Forces Talent category.
Bloom, which employs over 100 staff, offers a dynamic supply chain that provides the public sector with a marketplace to buy and manage services. It ensures delivery of quality outcomes from a pre-approved and ever-growing network of suppliers and consultants.
Ben Stevenson, chief of staff and head of sustainability, Bloom Procurement Services, said: “Our recognition with the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme 2024 Gold Award, is an achievement we are incredibly proud of and demonstrates our steadfast commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community.
“Social Value is at the heart of who we are and we are dedicated to creating equal opportunities, promoting diversity and providing routes to employment for all. Service personnel and reservists’ skills, dedication and values, align seamlessly with our own, making it a privilege to support them. Through this recognition scheme, we can advance our sustainability and social value goals in new and exciting ways and join a community of like-minded businesses and organisations committed to supporting the Armed Forces.”
ERS Gold Awards is the highest badge of honour for organisations which have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and demonstrated outstanding support for those who serve and have served.
It recognises employers who actively support the Armed Forces community in their workplace and also encourage others to follow their lead. The award scheme, which attracts entries from companies in every part of the country and in the private and public sectors, has seen a rapid increase in participation since it launched, in 2013.
To win Gold, organisations must provide ten extra paid days leave for Reservists and have supportive HR policies in place for veterans, Reserves, and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, as well as spouses and partners of those serving in the Armed Forces.
Organisations must also advocate the benefits of supporting those within the Armed Forces community by encouraging others to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and engage in the Employer Recognition Scheme.
In 2023, as part of its ongoing commitment to the Armed Forces, Bloom donated 17 laptops to Durham Army Cadet Force, in order to provide young people with the means to complete their studies for GCSE’s.
The company also attended a Cadet Training Programme fair, in Newcastle, where it provided guidance and coaching on how to assemble a well-rounded CV and what to do when looking for a new role outside of the army.
In addition, Bloom hosted a Northeast Armed Forces Business Forum at its offices, initiated a relationship with Spouse Force and offered the services of internal talent acquisition partner’s CV writing and career guidance skills and developed and launched a CV and career masterclass for Veterans and Cadets, showing them how to demonstrate their transferable skills.
Bloom provides a fully compliant managed procurement service, covering specification development, supplier identification and onboarding, commercial management and lessons learned upon successful delivery of outcomes. Recognised as one of the fastest growing marketplaces for buying services in the UK, Bloom specialises in bringing together a community of 569 public sector organisations and over 5,500 suppliers to help the public sector buy and manage services in a compliant, efficient and effective way.