Ten large UK firms have agreed to publish their parental leave and pay policies online in a bid to provide working parents with more transparency.
Following a campaign led by deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson, Accenture, Addleshaw Goddard, Deloitte, Direct Line Group, EY, KPMG, Linklaters, PwC, RBS and Santander have all committed to the move. Swinson introduced a new private members' Bill to Parliament in June to force companies with 250 or more staff to reveal their arrangements for parental leave and pay entitlements.
She said: "Companies all have to have a parental pay and leave policy, even if it's as simple as statutory, but there are many offering more. It's an opportunity for businesses to sell themselves."
Chloe Chambraud, gender equality director at charity Business in the Community (BITC), said that while such a move could be daunting for some employers, it was vital if they wanted to be seen as an “employer of choice”.
"By being transparent about their parental leave and pay policies, these organisations have demonstrated their commitment to tackling gender inequality,” she said. “This policy will allow new and future parents to make more informed choices about who they work for, and also has the potential to reduce bias and discrimination."
The commitment comes as a new study conducted by software company CIPHR found that working parents feel under significant pressure. According to HR Magazine, three-quarters said they suffered from stress and anxiety trying to maintain a reasonable work/life balance, while more than half felt judged for trying to juggle work with family commitments.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
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Ten large UK firms have agreed to publish their parental leave and pay policies online in a bid to provide working parents with more transparency.
Following a campaign led by deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Jo Swinson, Accenture, Addleshaw Goddard, Deloitte, Direct Line Group, EY, KPMG, Linklaters, PwC, RBS and Santander have all committed to the move. Swinson introduced a new private members' Bill to Parliament in June to force companies with 250 or more staff to reveal their arrangements for parental leave and pay entitlements.
She said: "Companies all have to have a parental pay and leave policy, even if it's as simple as statutory, but there are many offering more. It's an opportunity for businesses to sell themselves."
Chloe Chambraud, gender equality director at charity Business in the Community (BITC), said that while such a move could be daunting for some employers, it was vital if they wanted to be seen as an “employer of choice”.
"By being transparent about their parental leave and pay policies, these organisations have demonstrated their commitment to tackling gender inequality,” she said. “This policy will allow new and future parents to make more informed choices about who they work for, and also has the potential to reduce bias and discrimination."
The commitment comes as a new study conducted by software company CIPHR found that working parents feel under significant pressure. According to HR Magazine, three-quarters said they suffered from stress and anxiety trying to maintain a reasonable work/life balance, while more than half felt judged for trying to juggle work with family commitments.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
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