RAF named as top female employer

A Defence Policy and Business news article

13 Apr 11

The Royal Air Force has been awarded exemplary status as a 'Top 50 Employer for Women'.

Female aircrew from 31 Squadron walk away from their Tornado aircraft at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, during operations in 2009
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

 

The accolade was announced in The Times newspaper's list of the top 50 companies and is in recognition of the RAF's commitment to gender equality and making the most of women in its workforce. Inclusion in the list is based on the judgement of a panel of gender experts from the organisation Opportunity Now who assessed companies, including the RAF, against a stringent framework of best practice.

Air Member for Personnel Air Marshal Andy Pulford, who is also the RAF's Diversity Champion, said of the recognition:

"The RAF continues to deliver year-on-year improvement to the quality of life for all its personnel, but I am especially delighted that our efforts in supporting women have been officially recognised by The Times.

"The support of the RAF's senior leadership has been crucial to our success but I must pay tribute to our diversity policy staff, RAF Recruiting and the wider RAF community whose combined efforts have made the RAF an employer of choice for women."

The RAF has worked closely with Opportunity Now since 2005 to promote gender issues and in that year the Service received a 'Gold Standard' rating from the organisation.

An all female RAF helicopter aircrew take a break from training while on exercise in the USA prior to deploying to Afghanistan
[Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]

Not resting on its laurels, the RAF continued to monitor its success against other organisations by undertaking workplace 'benchmarking', which places significant emphasis on strong leadership, good communication and the ability of an organisation, in comparison with others, to relate to the specific needs of gender in career management.

The work has improved the lives of women in the RAF across a wide range of careers as diverse as flying, engineering and medicine.

Group Captain Ian Tolfts, Head of RAF Recruiting, summed up what today's announcement means for the RAF:

"The RAF's gender recruitment strategy and associated outreach work at schools and colleges has provided the impetus for today's recognition.

"The RAF is delighted that its work continues to be recognised by being placed in 'The Times Top 50 Employers for Women' list. Such awards and listings show beyond doubt that the Royal Air Force lives and breathes diversity."

(c) MoD