World Extreme Medicine has been awarded the Bronze Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Award, recognising our commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community.
The award follows our signing of the Armed Forces Covenant in June 2026 and represents an important step in developing how we support serving personnel, Reservists, veterans, military families and the wider Armed Forces community.
What is the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme?
The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) is a Ministry of Defence initiative that recognises organisations working to support Defence and the Armed Forces community. It has three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold, reflecting different stages of commitment and action.
To achieve Bronze, organisations must have signed the Armed Forces Covenant, demonstrated an understanding of what it means to be an Armed Forces-friendly employer and shared their commitment with their workforce.
For World Extreme Medicine, the award provides national recognition of a commitment that closely reflects the communities we work with.
Across expedition and wilderness medicine, pre-hospital care, humanitarian response and other challenging environments, our work often intersects with the skills and experience found throughout the Armed Forces community. Many people within the wider WEM network have a service background or work alongside Defence personnel, bringing valuable experience, judgement and teamwork to medicine in demanding environments.
Building on our commitment
Receiving the Bronze Award is an encouraging milestone, but it is also the beginning of the next stage of our work.
We will continue looking at practical ways to strengthen our support, including how our policies, recruitment practices and workplace culture can better recognise the circumstances and contributions of people connected to the Armed Forces.
This includes considering the needs of Reservists balancing civilian employment with training or mobilisation, ensuring members of the Armed Forces community are treated fairly during recruitment, and continuing to make our support visible across the organisation.
We will also work with our regional Defence Relationship Management contact to understand the next steps and begin laying the foundations for a future Silver application when eligible.
We are proud to receive this recognition and grateful to everyone across the WEM community whose experience, service and contribution continue to shape what we do. We look forward to building on the commitment represented by the Bronze Award and continuing to support those who serve, have served and stand alongside them.
→ Find out more about the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme