Forres based business owner wins Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Award

A local social media and marketing agency has won recognition for its support of the armed forces community.

Moray Digital owner, Shaun Moat, is delighted with the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The RAF veteran said: "I'm really pleased to receive this award. I served in the for eight years before being medically discharged so I want to support our armed forces personal and their families."

Silver awards are only given to Armed Forces Covenant signees, a pledge to acknowledge those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy and society.

The employer must also proactively demonstrate that service personnel/armed forces community are not unfairly disadvantaged as part of their recruiting and selection processes. They must employ at least one individual from the armed forces community and actively ensure that their workforce is aware of their positive policies towards defence people issues.

Mr Moat said: "I worked with Roy Mclellan of the Highland Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (HRFCA) in Dundee to prepare my application. I created policies and procedures to demonstrate that that I am a Forces-friendly employer and advocate of the community."

HRFCA regional employer engagement director, Mr Mclellan, said: “I am delighted that Moray Digital have achieved their Silver Award. This reflects the ethos of the organisation in actively supporting serving and ex-forces personnel and their families. Congratulations from everyone at HRFCA."

He added: "Shaun is a fantastic supporter and promoter of reservists and veterans, being one himself he understands the role and the skills that they can bring to commercial businesses and the benefit it can bring, his company Moray Digital have all the relevant policies in place to ensure that he supports the defence agenda to the full, I am very grateful to Shaun fir the commitment he has shown."

Mr Moat has been running Moray Digital on his own since it was started a year ago.

He said: "As I take on more clients I’m looking at apprenticeships and working with the Career Transition Partnership - the MoD’s official provider of armed forces resettlement. I currently work from home but will be looking to move into an office as the company grows."

He added: "Moray Digital is offering LinkedIn training for the armed forces community. Being ex-Forces, I know how hard it can be to settle into civilian life and I want to help those coming out, or their dependents, stand out in this ever busy career market."