Armed Forces Week returned in June, and we were proud to mark the occasion by re-signing the Armed Forces Covenant – for the first time as Leonardo. Our Chair and CEO, Clive Higgins, was joined at our London HQ by Major General Lord Lancaster, member of the House of Lords and Director Army Reserves, to sign the document which consolidated Leonardo’s commitment to continue supporting our UK Armed Forces Community.
Later in the week, we shared profiles of our colleagues with connections to the Armed Forces. Shawn Wilson spoke about his transition into industry following nearly 35 years’ service in the Army and Royal Air Force (RAF), during which time he achieved the rare distinction of receiving two RAF commendations. Richard Varley, Chair of our Armed Forces network group and current Army reservist, explained why he helped set up the group while working for Leonardo, having joined after 15 years in the British Army’s Royal Artillery. To mark Reserves Day, Cyber Security Marketing Manager, Polly Cleaver, described life at Leonardo as a Royal Navy reservist.
During the week, we were also delighted to welcome Chief of the General Staff (CGS), General Sir Patrick Sanders, to our Luton site. In addition to hearing how our technology and services support the UK Armed Forces, the Head of the British Army met with veterans and reservists, as well as some of our STEM Ambassadors who are working to inspire the next generation.
To round off the week, Leonardo Training Co-ordinator and RAF veteran, Yvonne Sykes, spoke about her experience taking on the infamous 54-mile Cateran Yomp. Sponsored by Leonardo, the event is organised by and for the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF – The Soldiers’ Charity), with participants ‘yomping’ through the most remote and wild parts of Scotland.
Later in the month, our Rampaging Chariots team was gearing up for the return of their rowdy robots. As well as opening its doors to local schools, colleges and engineering clubs, this year Leonardo colleagues wanted their opportunity to get in the arena.
This was their last outing before the ‘bots’ delighted the crowds at the Big Bang Fair, in Birmingham. The largest STEM event in our calendar, the fair saw Leonardo ambassadors inspiring the visiting school children with interactive exhibits representing our Cyber Security, Helicopters and Electronics businesses, as well as the Rampaging Chariots arena. Attendees took on their friends (and sometimes their teachers) to steer the hardy robots around the obstacle course in the fastest time, with Leonardo-branded goodies serving as prizes for the winners.
June was also Pride Month. Events were organised by our employee-led Pride network group at sites across the UK and at Pride Edinburgh, where colleagues came together with friends to represent Leonardo and celebrate inclusion for all. Alongside these events, we shared an article from Kim Chilver, an engineer at our Bristol site, who explained the history of the month-long celebration of LGBTQ+ people and underlined the importance of allyship.
To mark the start of Learning Disability Week, which also took place in June, Sean Higgins, a Test Equipment Engineer based our Yeovil site, explained how he battled undiagnosed learning disabilities and the resulting mental health strain for more than 30 years of his life, while still pursuing his engineering career.
Then, on International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), it was revealed that Leonardo Senior Hardware Engineer, Sarah Bailey, had been inducted into the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) Top 50.
Finally, we were delighted to learn that Leonardo had been awarded the Employee Benefit award for Best Flexible Benefits Plan. Learn more about our full range of Company Benefits.