Army And Royal Navy Named In Top 50 Employers For Women

The British Army and Royal Navy have been named in 'The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2020' list.

Celebrating workplaces embracing gender equality, organisations have been recognised in alphabetical order from one to 50.

The Army said it was "extremely pleased" to have been recognised and credited policy changes in recent years for its inclusion.

In 2018, all roles within the service were opened up to women, while a new flexible service was also introduced, offering more support to mothers and carers, as well as part-time working options.  

Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, said: "I am delighted that the Army has again been included in this important list in recognition of the progress the Army continues to make to ensure that every single person counts.

"No institution is beyond reform and improvement and the Army is changing for the better."

The Navy's inclusion marks the third time in a row the service has been included on the list. 

2020 marks the tenth annual release of The Times' list, which is in partnership with Business in the Community (BITC).

Charlotte Woodworth, Gender Equality Campaign Director of BITC, said the bar was "especially high" this year.

She said: "A decade of expertise and experience underpins Business in the Community’s assessment, which sees organisations reviewed across a wide range of areas including transparency around pay practices, family-friendly policies and to what extent the gender equality agenda is embedded into wider strategy."

Other organisations featured in the top 50 include Barclays, Vodafone and Marks & Spencer. 

In May, the Royal Air Force was named the best employer for mothers in a national competition aimed at highlighting examples of flexible working. 

Cover image: British Army.