Global strategy consulting firm OC&C Strategy Consultants has launched a fully equalised paid parental leave policy in a move towards gender equality for all of its employees.
It will be rolling out the new policy across all 12 of its offices in Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, US and UK.
The policy promotes shared care through equalising paid leave and flexibility for how that leave is taken. Fathers and other non-birth parents will be able to spend more time at home following the arrival of a child, enabling all parents, regardless of gender, to make decisions based on what works for them and return to work at a point that suits them.
The firm has also introduced support before, during and after parental leave, including ramp-up options that help with a smoother transition back to work, parental coaching, emergency childcare and flexible hours.
Danielle Lestrade, OC and C’s global director of people, said: “Traditional parental policies push birth givers, mothers, or primary adopters to do the lion’s share of early life childcare while the other parent returns to work. We wholeheartedly believe that becoming a parent should not be a barrier to advancing in your career and for the past four years we have been evolving our entire parental strategy to reflect this.”
Simona Dossena, OC&C’s diversity and inclusion partner, added: “Equalising paid parental leave is one of our many commitments to diversity and inclusion. By tackling historical imbalances between maternity and paternity leave, the firm is eradicating barriers to gender equality and supporting its employees during a life-defining moment.
“Our employee-led global diversity networks, alongside our leadership and people teams, are instrumental in initiating and shaping all our diversity and inclusion policies, and our parental network has been a particularly important contributor to shaping this policy.”