New covenants and a new diversity and inclusion manager

We are delighted to announce that we have signed the Care Leavers Covenant (CLC) and the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant (EDAC).

Care Leavers Covenant

The CLC is a national inclusion programme that helps care leavers aged 16-25 live independently. It aims to provide support for those leaving care which supplements that statutorily provided by local authorities.

The covenant team works with organisations to build bespoke opportunities, structured across five key objectives to ensure that care leavers:

• Are better prepared and supported to live independently
• Have improved access to employment, education and training
• Experience stability in their lives and feel safe and secure
• Have improved access to health care and emotional support
• Achieve financial stability.

We are also partnering with Drive Forward, a London-based charity that helps young adults transition from care into a career and achieve their full potential. Through that partnership, we have already successfully placed a care leaver in a role with us.

Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant

The EDAC is a pledge taken by businesses to support women affected by domestic abuse to enter, remain in, or re-enter the workplace.

For women who have suffered domestic abuse, access to employment is imperative to staying safe. Without a job, survivors are often unable to obtain safe and affordable housing, or money to provide for themselves and their children.

With the support of the UK Government and the Department for Work and Pensions, the ultimate aim of this covenant is to enable organisations to identify flexible and sustainable opportunities for women to achieve long-term financial independence and economic security.

The CLC and EDAC are two of three covenants introduced by the UK Government. The third is the Armed Forces Covenant, which we signed in august 2019. This year we received the covenant’s Employer Recognition Scheme gold award.

Churchill hires new diversity & inclusion manager

In further ESG news, Lynzie Wills has been appointed as head of wellbeing, diversity and inclusion. Her remit will include driving the group’s D&I policies such as gaining menopause-friendly accreditation and attracting over-50s into employment.

James Bradley, our COO, said: “We are putting ESG at the heart of everything we do and signing both covenants is an important step in our social support. We have demonstrated with the Armed Forces Covenant that signing is just the first step, and we’ll be looking for ways to maximise our support for care leavers and victims of domestic abuse. Lynzie will have a big part to play and we’re thrilled to welcome her to the team.”