Fidelity International announced the introduction of a companywide Enhanced Parental Leave policy meaning that fathers and secondary carers will now be able to take the same amount of paid leave as mothers and primary carers.

The new policy will come into effect for children who are born (including via surrogacy) or placed for adoption on or after 1 September 2020 and will offer up to 26 weeks* of paid leave for each parent employed by the company within the first 12 months of a child’s arrival. 

“We want to be a market leader and offer an inclusive culture where all our people may spend time caring for their children and thrive in their careers.  We are therefore delighted to be announcing our new parental leave policy and are especially proud to be offering this globally to all our employees,” says Anne Richards, CEO, Fidelity International.

This is another move forward in Fidelity International’s commitment to creating an inclusive and equal working culture for all.  These new enhancements will ensure that all employees will be supported to spend time caring for their children, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, location or how they become a parent.

Sally Nelson, Chief People Officer, Fidelity International, adds: Fidelity International has diversity and inclusion at its heart and treating parents equally and creating a level playing field for all genders is incredibly important to us.  This family-friendly policy will offer the flexibility to support childcare needs and will transform parenthood for many families.

Image source: Financial Times