London, UK – 6 August 2025 – NTT DATA UK&I, a global leader in digital business and technology services, has been awarded Silver in the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD’s) Employer Recognition Scheme for 2025. The award recognises the company’s continued commitment to supporting the UK’s Armed Forces community – including veterans, reservists, cadets and their families – following its signing of the Armed Forces Covenant in February 2025, becoming one of 13000 plus organisations nationwide.
The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) rewards employers that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the Armed Forces community, and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant. NTT DATA proudly joins a prestigious group of over 1500 Silver ERS awardees, recognised for its work across four key areas: internal community-building, veteran recruitment, charity partnerships, and cadet engagement.
Over the past 12 months, the company has implemented additional leave policies and mobilisation support for reservists, invested in programmes to help ex-forces candidates transition into civilian careers, and built reciprocal relationships with Armed Forces charities. Its Friends of the Armed Forces Network – launched in October 2024 – has quickly grown into a national community of current and former service personnel and allies. Through regular events, speaker sessions and internal workshops, the network has helped improve understanding across the business and championed new policies and pathways.
In the UK, just over half of veterans (52.5%) have taken a job at a lower experience or skill level than their previous role in the UK Armed Forces, reflecting the difficulty many ex-forces personnel encounter when returning to civilian employment1. NTT DATA is working to address this challenge by equipping hiring managers to recognise the full value that veterans bring: from leadership under pressure, to adaptability and autonomous decision-making.
“We cannot afford to underestimate the depth of expertise and resilience that the armed forces community brings to our organisation,” said Stijn Nauwelaerts, Chief People Officer at NTT DATA Inc. “We’re proud to support ex-service personnel, reservists and their families, and remain committed to building an inclusive environment where they can thrive. The Silver ERS award is an important step along the way, and we hope to win further recognition by doing the right things for our people and for the UK military community as a whole.”
Mike Jones, Vice President and Chief Partner Officer, and Executive Sponsor of the Armed Forces Network, said: “This is a proud moment for everyone involved. Our Friends of the Armed Forces Network has become a business-wide community, and momentum is building by the day. We’ve only just started on this journey. The next phase is about going deeper: reaching more veterans, engaging more allies, and making this support a core part of who we are.”
This initiative reinforces NTT DATA’s position as a trusted partner in the defence and public safety sectors. With a track record of delivering innovative technology solutions, including recent success with the Crown Prosecution Service and the Intelligent Safeguarding initiative in conjunction with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), the Ministry of Justice, the Police Digital Service and Microsoft, the company is well positioned to address the evolving challenges faced by defence organisations.