Leading recruiter Gi Group UK, part of the 10th largest global staffing firm in the world, Gi Group Holding, has been awarded gold by the Armed Forces Covenant’s Employer Recognition Scheme for pledging, demonstrating and advocating support to the defence and armed forces community.
After signing the Armed Forces Covenant in 2021, Gi Group has continued its internal and external efforts to support ex-service men and women as they transition into civilian work-life. This gold recognition is the highest accolade awarded to independent businesses for this cause, showing the business’ commitment.
Latest government data shows that in the 12-month period ending March 2025, 14,590 individuals left the UK Armed Forces. On average, the vast majority of ex-service personnel are employed six months after leaving the service (87%). This data shows the societal demand for better support for ex-military individuals from all businesses across the UK, ensuring those who have fought for the country are able to find and thrive in employment when re-entering civilian life.
Pete Taylor, Managing Director of Gi Group commented: “This recognition illustrates our active support for ex-service men and women within the workplace at the highest level. Ex-service people bring with them a great deal of discipline, reliability and a serious work ethic which can help them excel in any workplace, if given the opportunity. Our support shows our gratitude for armed forces leavers for the sacrifices they have made for our country and our collective safety, as well as furthering our commitment to equal opportunities and a level playing field for all candidates and our own teams. Showing our support over the years has been a real privilege, so achieving the gold award is a fantastic achievement for our whole team.
“The Armed Forces Covenant is another example of our commitment to ethical and exemplary recruitment practices, aligning our values with the agreement which states that our business will do all it can to ensure ex-military do not face discrimination at work. To achieve gold, we first had to sign the Armed Forces Covenant. From here, we demonstrated our commitment to the Covenant beyond basic support which included actively recruiting ex-military personnel, providing flexibility for reservists, supporting military spouses and actively advocating for the Covenant. Across our business, both internally and externally, we have embedded a culture of support for the armed forces.”
Gi Group UK employs close to 240 people and in 2025 is proud to serve more than 1000 clients across sectors from logistics and industrial to engineering and automotive from 69 UK locations (21 city centre branches and 48 sites). Globally, Gi Group Holding is active in more than 37 counties, operating through more than 650 branches with a workforce of over 8.700.
Pete added: “The Covenant is all about providing equal opportunities, ensuring everyone has a fair shot, so individuals who have left the armed forces are able to build their civilian life. It’s so important businesses don’t underestimate the raft of transferable skills that any ex-military individual can bring to a team. Through past and current employees to candidates, we’ve seen first hand the strong leadership, teamwork, communication, problem-solving and adaptability of ex-military personnel.”
Through its distinct brands, Gi Group Holding delivers a full spectrum of recruitment and HR solutions. INTOO focuses on career development, coaching, and outplacement services; Marks Sattin specialises in finance, legal, technology, and executive recruitment; Grafton connects skilled blue and white-collar professionals with employment opportunities; and Gi Group UK offers both temporary and permanent staffing solutions for blue and white-collar roles, as well as semi-skilled professionals, across the United Kingdom.