Sodexo Announces Parental Leave Policy

• Content
• Workplace & Wellbeing
• Sodexo Announces Parental Leave Policy

11 April 2023

Sodexo UK & Ireland is enhancing its maternity, adoption and paternity paid leave, as part of its ambition to offer a flexible first culture for its employees.

Maternity, adoption and paternity pay and leave will be equalised to offer all employees the equivalent of 18 weeks of full pay. Antenatal IVF, adoption, surrogacy and neonatal leave are also now covered.

Life insurance is also being enhanced for salaried and frontline staff, the minimum level of life assurance will be a lump sum equal to the value of base salary as of date of death. Bereavement (including parental) leave is also being increased, with Sodexo implementing the majority of these enhancements by September 2023.

Parental leave allows those with child caregiving duties to take time off work to better balance work and childcare commitments. It is a form of statutory leave available to those who have responsibility for children up to 18 years old.

Raj Jones, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Sodexo UK & Ireland said” “We are committed to an inclusive, equitable workplace for all. By introducing these enhanced benefits, many as a day one right, we are making progress in this commitment and in our ambition to create a culture of flexibility and recognition of what all colleagues need to juggle outside of work.

“We, as business leaders need to hold ourselves accountable for making change happen. This new suite of enhanced benefits, particularly those that equalise parental leave, is a part of our strategy to narrow our pay gaps by offering both parents the same flexibility and financial support to take time off for childcare.  This could enable more women to come back to work sooner.”

Picture: a photograph of a person holding a small child. Image Credit: Pexels

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 11 April 2023

Share

Related Articles