Campbell Gibson
Senior Advisor, External Relations, London +44 7825 074315
AtkinsRéalis has once again been ranked highly in this year’s Top 50 GREAT British Employers of Veterans programme across the UK – a prestigious benchmark recognising the organisations setting the national standard in veteran employment.
The engineering services and nuclear company ranked 15th on the annual list and Principal Safety Consultant Jim Creber was awarded Innovator of the Year at the British Forces in Business Awards last week. AtkinsRéalis employs around 240 veterans, reservists and other members of the Armed Forces community across the UK.
Inclusion in the highly competitive Top 50 reflects AtkinsRéalis’ genuine, measurable and sustained commitment to the Armed Forces community in the UK. The publication is the leading benchmark of employers delivering the most outstanding pathways and support for veterans, reservists and military families.
Colette Carroll, AtkinsRéalis Senior Sponsor - Partnering with Armed Forces (PwAF), said: “We are proud to retain our high ranking in the Top 50 GREAT British Employer of Veterans. This achievement reflects our enduring commitment to supporting our veterans transition into their second careers, enabling them to bring their strengths, skills and unique experiences to contribute to our business across the civil, defence and security sectors. We are also proud to see Jim recognised for his digital innovation and leadership, improving our efficiency and service to clients.”
Jim Creber won Innovator of the Year for his use of Power Apps to streamline processes, reduce manual hours and boost efficiency across AtkinsRéalis. The judges said, “Jim’s forward-thinking mindset and technical expertise have driven significant digital transformation, modernising legacy systems and enhancing data integration across multiple platforms. Jim’s dedication to inclusivity and continuous improvement make him a transformative leader and a well-deserved winner of Innovator of the Year.”
Colette Carroll continued, “Being named a top employer of veterans in the UK reflects our efforts to embrace this community and help them explore new opportunities. As a Forces-friendly company, we have a dedicated ex-Armed Forces programme with an active employee resource group and senior leadership openly values this deep talent pool. We encourage any interested veterans to explore current and future opportunities on our dedicated page via the AtkinsRéalis careers website.”
AtkinsRéalis re-affirmed its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant in October 2024, building on existing commitments and introducing new pledges.
Above: AtkinsRéalis at the British Forces in Business Awards
Ben Rossi, founder of the global Forces in Business Awards series and 50 GREAT British Employers of Veterans programme, said: “This comprehensive ranking of Forces Friendly employers has become a cornerstone resource for veterans, reservists and their families – and a powerful benchmark for organisations seeking to lead in veteran employment. To feature in the Top 50 is to stand among the most committed supporters of the Armed Forces community.”
Inclusion in the programme requires employers to undergo a comprehensive assessment combining objective data with expert human evaluation by an independent Judging Panel of 21 business leaders who are veterans in their own right. The panel includes leaders from Asda, Fortinet, the University of Cambridge, RICS and the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance.
Brigadier (Retired) Andrew Jackson, Managing Director of publication sponsor SMJ and member of the Judging Panel, said: “It is hugely encouraging to see evidence of such outstanding work by Forces Friendly organisations to hire and support the employment of veterans and others from across the UK Armed Forces community.
“The 50 GREAT British Employers of Veterans is packed full of good practice. Now is the time for these trailblazing employers to help others implement their good practice, promote veterans as assets to business and society, and help ensure as smooth a transition as possible for service leavers, veterans and their families into rewarding, meaningful post-military careers.”
AtkinsRéalis is a strategic supplier to the UK defence market, having worked with defence organisations for decades to support the delivery of major programmes across land, maritime, air and joint environments. Through the Engineering Delivery Partnership for Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), AtkinsRéalis provides essential engineering support for the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.
The company’s expertise ranges across engineering, complex infrastructure, nuclear, advanced digital technologies and major programme delivery, with its defence portfolio including modernising and improving the resilience of MOD’s digital services, supporting Babcock International to deliver major upgrades at Devonport Royal Dockyard and advising on the design of the next generation of combat training jets.
About AtkinsRéalis
Created by the integration of long-standing organisations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear and Capital. News and information are available at www.atkinsrealis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
About GREAT British Employers of Veterans
Each year, more than 15,000 individuals leave the British Armed Forces. Highly trained, values-driven and mission-focused, they represent one of the most capable and under-utilised talent pools in the labour market. Yet barriers remain to building a meaningful second career. High-profile initiatives such as the Forces in Business Awards have greatly improved employer awareness and appreciation of the veteran talent pool, but the resulting growth in dedicated pathways has created new challenges in navigating the multitude of opportunities now available.
The 50 GREAT British Employers of Veterans was created to address this gap – providing a definitive, data-backed guide to the UK’s most exemplary Forces Friendly employers. It stands as a mark of excellence for organisations whose support is embedded, enduring and effective.