Engineering firm Sulzer Pumps has partnered with nursery provider Busy Bees to offer its UK employees discounted childcare support.
The employer’s 1,200 UK-based staff have been given a 10% discount on childcare fees at more than 350 Busy Bees nurseries across the country, as well as access to the Unleashing Potential app, which offers a flexible early years learning programme for children aged 0-5 years.
The nurseries provide Early Years Foundation Stage framework, outdoor spaces, activities tailored for each age group, and NHS-accredited meals and snacks freshly prepared on-site by nursery chefs.
Annette Paone (pictured centre), HR manager at Sulzer Pumps UK, said: “We recognise what a big commitment childcare is for working parents and, as a business, we believe it is important to do anything we can to support our people.
“Making childcare more accessible helps us to encourage valued colleagues back to work and look after our existing team. Partnering with Busy Bees forms part of a comprehensive benefits package to support employee health and wellbeing.
“Sulzer is a very friendly and caring organisation. Staff participate in many charity and community activities as we believe it is important to support our employees and the people around us.”
Sulzer was recognised as a Top Employer in the UK for 2023, scoring an average of 85% in its assessments, including 95% in the sustainability category.
The business’ inclusion and engagement strategy includes physical and mental wellbeing programmes. For example, Sulzer Pumps UK maintains a 4,900 square-meter garden at its Leeds facility, to provide employees with a space for mindfulness and to reconnect with nature. It houses a solar powered, wifi enabled cabin to allow employees to work outside.
Externally, it also aims to help tackle gender disparities by providing scholarships, coaching and learning opportunities for female students in engineering, technology and scientific fields.