Why the Armed Forces Covenant Matters for Small Businesses (and Why We’re All In)
With Armed Forces Day coming up on Saturday 27th June 2026, it feels like the right time to talk about something that means a great deal to us here at Donut Pig Digital Marketing: the Armed Forces Covenant.
For many small business owners, the Armed Forces Covenant can sound like something aimed at big companies, public bodies, councils or organisations with large teams and formal HR departments. It can feel a bit official, a bit distant, and perhaps even a little bit “not for us”. But the truth is, the Armed Forces Covenant matters just as much to small businesses as it does to large organisations. In many ways, small businesses are perfectly placed to make a real difference.
Small businesses sit at the heart of our communities. We know our customers, our staff, our suppliers and the people around us. We see the same faces at networking events, local fundraisers, school fairs, community groups and on the high street. Within those communities are serving personnel, veterans, reservists, cadets, spouses, partners, children, bereaved families and people whose lives have been shaped by service in ways that are not always obvious.
That is why the Armed Forces Covenant matters. It is not about politics, token gestures or simply adding a badge to your website. It is about fairness, respect, understanding and action. It is about making sure that those who serve, or have served, and their families are not disadvantaged because of that service.
And for us at Donut Pig, it is personal.
What is the Armed Forces Covenant?
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, should be treated fairly and with respect in the communities, economy and society they have served.
At its heart are two simple principles. The first is that members of the Armed Forces community should not face disadvantage compared with other citizens when accessing public or commercial services. The second is that, in some cases, special consideration may be appropriate, especially for those who have given the most, such as the injured and the bereaved.
In real life, this can mean many different things. It can mean recognising that a military spouse may have gaps in their CV because they have moved around the country supporting their partner’s service. It can mean understanding that a reservist may need flexibility for training or mobilisation. It can mean appreciating that a veteran’s skills may not always appear in a traditional civilian job description, but are often exactly the kind of qualities a business needs.
It can also mean making sure your services, policies, discounts, communication and culture do not accidentally exclude people who have already given so much. Sometimes, it is as simple as saying, “We see you. We value you. You are welcome here.”
Why Armed Forces Day matters
Armed Forces Day is a national opportunity to show support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community. That includes currently serving personnel, reservists, veterans, cadets, service families and the wider community around them.
It is a day of recognition, but it should also be a reminder. Support should not only appear once a year when the flags are out and the social media posts are scheduled. Real support is what happens the rest of the year.
It is in how we recruit, how we speak, how we treat people and how we make space for lived experience. It is in whether we understand that the move from military life to civilian life is not always straightforward. It is also in whether small businesses are willing to step forward and play their part.
This is personal for us
My own journey is a huge part of why Donut Pig is all in.
I joined the RAF as a teenager and, like many who served, I learned to crack on, get the job done and not make a fuss. Those values can be strengths, but they can also make it very difficult to ask for help when life starts to fall apart.
After my military career ended through medical discharge, I struggled to rebuild my life. I experienced homelessness, depression and times where I could not see a way forward. That is not easy to write, and it is not something I share lightly, but I share it because there will be other veterans, service leavers and family members who know exactly what that silence feels like.
For me, Erskine became a place of safety, understanding and hope. Walking through the doors of Erskine Veterans Activity Centre North in Forres gave me something I did not realise I had been missing: connection. It gave me people who understood, a place where I did not have to explain everything, and a community where I could be useful again, valued again and part of something again.
That matters. And that is why the Armed Forces Covenant matters too.
Behind every policy, pledge and logo, there are real people. People rebuilding lives. People looking for a fair chance. People with skills, stories and strength that can enrich our communities and workplaces.
Small businesses can make a big difference
One of the biggest myths about the Armed Forces Covenant is that you need to be a huge employer to make a meaningful commitment. You do not.
Donut Pig is a small business. We are not a giant corporate with endless departments and complicated structures. We are a small team built around people, relationships and community. That is exactly why the Covenant fits.
Small businesses are agile. We can make decisions quickly. We can build personal relationships. We can create flexible ways of working. We can spot people as individuals, not just as job titles or application forms.
If you run a small business, you may be able to support the Armed Forces community in simple but powerful ways. You could sign the Armed Forces Covenant. You could actively welcome applications from veterans, reservists, cadet force adult volunteers and military spouses. You could offer flexibility to reservists for training commitments. You could support Armed Forces Day and Reserves Day publicly. You could provide discounts or added value for members of the Armed Forces community. You could support Armed Forces charities through fundraising, volunteering or awareness.
Most importantly, you could listen.
Sometimes the most powerful thing a business can do is listen without assumption.
Veterans bring value to business
When people talk about supporting veterans, the conversation can sometimes drift into charity language. But this is not about pity.
Veterans are not a burden to be carried by businesses. They are people with experience, skills and perspective that many businesses would be lucky to have.
Military service can develop qualities that are hugely valuable in the workplace, including leadership, teamwork, timekeeping, reliability, adaptability, communication, responsibility, calmness under pressure and the ability to solve problems when things do not go to plan.
Ask any small business owner what they want in their team, and many of those qualities will be high on the list.
The challenge is that civilian employers do not always understand how military experience translates. A veteran may not describe themselves in the language a recruiter expects. A service leaver may not have a “normal” CV. A military spouse may have moved frequently. A reservist may need support around commitments.
That is where the Covenant mindset helps. It encourages businesses to look again, see the person, recognise value and remove unnecessary barriers. For small businesses, where every team member matters, that can be a game-changer.
Supporting families matters too
The Armed Forces Covenant is not only about those who wear or wore the uniform. It also recognises families.
That matters because military families carry so much that the wider public may never see. Spouses and partners often manage long periods apart, unpredictable routines, relocation, childcare challenges, career disruption and emotional strain. Children in military families may move schools, leave friends behind and adapt to changes that many adults would find hard. Bereaved families carry loss in a way that deserves lasting respect and care.
When businesses understand this, they can become more compassionate and more flexible. That might mean being open-minded about employment gaps, offering flexible leave, being thoughtful about how you communicate, or simply recognising that the Armed Forces community is wider than many people realise.
Once you start seeing that, you start creating a business that is better for everyone.
Why Donut Pig signed the Covenant
At Donut Pig Digital Marketing, we signed the Armed Forces Covenant because it reflects who we are and what we believe.
We believe business should be human. We believe communities are stronger when people support one another. We believe small businesses can lead with kindness and still be ambitious. We believe that doing the right thing should not be reserved for organisations with huge budgets.
Our Covenant commitments include being Armed Forces friendly, supporting UK service veterans and leavers, recognising spouses and partners, supporting reservists and cadets, marking Armed Forces Day and Reserves Day, offering discounts, and supporting Armed Forces charities.
These are not just words on a page. They are a public statement of intent.
They say: this matters to us. They say: we want to be held accountable. They say: we want the Armed Forces community to know they are welcome here. And they say to other small businesses: you can do this too.
Gold recognition shows small businesses can lead
Donut Pig has been recognised through the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, something I am incredibly proud of. But what matters most to me is not the badge itself. It is what the badge represents.
It represents consistency. It represents advocacy. It represents doing the work. It represents encouraging others to get involved. It also shows that small businesses can reach that standard.
You do not need to be a national brand to make a national promise. You do not need hundreds of staff to make a difference. You do not need perfection from day one. You need commitment, willingness and a place to start.
For small businesses looking at the Armed Forces Covenant and wondering whether it is “for them”, my answer is simple: yes, it is.
Your business may be small, but your impact does not have to be.
Why this matters for your marketing too
Now, wearing my marketing hat for a moment — because I am still Donut Pig after all — supporting the Armed Forces Covenant should never be treated as a marketing trick.
People can spot performative support a mile away. If you are going to talk about the Armed Forces Covenant, make sure you are also doing something meaningful behind the scenes.
But when your support is genuine, you should talk about it. Awareness matters. Your customers may not know what the Armed Forces Covenant is. Other local businesses may not realise they can sign it. A veteran in your community may see your post and feel recognised. A reservist may feel more confident applying for a job with you. A military spouse may realise your business is open to understanding their situation. A charity may find a new supporter.
Sometimes that is how change happens. Not with a massive campaign or corporate jargon, but with one local business saying, “This matters to us.”
How small businesses can get started
If you are a small business owner and Armed Forces Day has made you think more deeply about your role, start by learning what the Armed Forces Covenant means. It is not complicated. It is about fairness, respect and removing disadvantage.
Once you understand the principles, consider signing the Covenant. Your pledge should be realistic and meaningful. It should fit your size, your sector and your capacity. You do not need to promise the world. You simply need to commit to actions that matter.
You can also review your recruitment and workplace approach. Could your business be more welcoming to veterans, reservists, spouses or cadet force adult volunteers? Do your job adverts use language that makes sense to people leaving military life? Would you recognise transferable skills? Could you offer flexibility where needed?
Armed Forces Day and Reserves Day are also good opportunities to raise awareness. This could be through a social media post, newsletter, window display, team conversation, charity fundraiser or simply sharing useful information. It does not need to be complicated. It just needs to be genuine.
Another good step is to build local relationships. Look for veterans’ groups, Armed Forces charities, cadet units, reservist units and support organisations in your area. Ask what they need, rather than assuming. Sometimes the best support is not what we think people need, but what they actually tell us would help.
Most importantly, keep going after Armed Forces Day. The Covenant is about long-term commitment, not one-off visibility. Build it into your culture, talk about it throughout the year, review your actions, invite feedback and keep learning.
The business case and the human case
There is a strong business case for supporting the Armed Forces community. You can access a talented pool of people, strengthen your reputation, improve recruitment, show leadership in your community and build trust.
But for me, the human case is even stronger.
Somewhere in your town, your customer base, your network or your online community, there will be someone connected to the Armed Forces who needs to know they are not forgotten. There will be a veteran trying to find their place after service. There will be a spouse trying to restart their career after another move. There will be a reservist balancing civilian work with military commitment. There will be a cadet gaining confidence, skills and direction. There will be a bereaved family who deserves more than silence.
There will also be businesses with the power to make life a little fairer.
That is why this matters.
Why we’re all in
At Donut Pig, we are all in because this is part of who we are.
It connects my past service, my personal journey, my business values and my belief that small businesses can be a force for good. We are proud to support the Armed Forces community. We are proud to encourage other businesses to sign the Covenant. We are proud to stand alongside organisations doing brilliant work for veterans, reservists, serving personnel, cadets and families.
And we are proud to use our voice to say that small businesses belong in this conversation.
This Armed Forces Day, by all means share a post. Attend an event. Raise a flag. Say thank you. But also ask yourself what your business could do next.
Could you sign the Covenant? Could you become more Forces friendly? Could you support a local Armed Forces charity? Could you offer flexibility? Could you start a conversation? Could you make sure your support lasts longer than one day?
Because the Armed Forces Covenant is not just a promise made by government or large organisations. It is a promise that belongs to all of us.
And when small businesses get behind it, communities become stronger, fairer and more human.
That is why it matters.
And that is why we’re all in.
Ready to take the next step?
If you are a small business owner and you have been thinking about signing the Armed Forces Covenant, let this Armed Forces Day be your starting point.
Start small. Start honestly. Start with what you can do. You do not have to have everything perfect. You just have to care enough to begin.
And if Donut Pig can encourage even one more small business to step forward and support the Armed Forces community, then that is something worth shouting about.