Standard Chartered is rolling out enhanced global parental leave provisions to make them more inclusive for its employees.
From next month (1 September), the bank plans to standardise the minimum entitlement with the aim of enabling parents to taken on more equitable caregiving.
New mothers and fathers will be entitled to at least 20 weeks of parental leave, regardless of gender, relationship status or the way in which a child has become a permanent member of their family.
According to the bank, the new offering has been designed to support working families as part of its “commitment to fostering an inclusive culture, where employees are supported in balancing their personal lives with building successful careers”.
Tanuj Kapilashrami, group head of HR at Standard Chartered, said: “We continuously look at how we can introduce progressive benefits that drive inclusion, improve the employee experience, and help colleagues achieve their potential.
We believe benefits such as this help address globally prevalent societal norms around traditional roles, improve workforce participation and provide options to those who want to take up shared childcare responsibilities. This will positively impact families’ financial wellbeing and create a more inclusive workplace that supports each individual’s unique family planning choices.
We hope that our actions inspire other employers – across industries, around the world – to take similar actions. If we take a stand together, we can build a movement that creates a more inclusive society.”