Supporting whānau to thrive is a key priority at Buddle Findlay. We are delighted to share a new market leading package for parental leave and whānau support. Our approach seeks to create gender equity, supports families before, during and after going on parental leave, and provides coaching to both leaders and employees with families. Earlier this month, the Buddle Findlay partners confirmed a set of commitments and a progressive package that supports parents and their whānau.
We are committed to ensuring our people can thrive at work, and to support them in their career aspirations; we want to do what we can to remove (and not create) barriers to their growth. We have dug deep to understand the motherhood penalty and recognised there are four key ingredients required to support our parents and whānau. They are financial, a focus on gender equity, independent coaching to support transitions and decision making, and supportive and empowering leadership.
The resulting new market leading package is bedded in research, consultation and collaboration.
The package includes 26 weeks of paid leave for parents while they undertake the primary care of the child and can be taken within the first 24 months of the child being born. We will also provide four weeks paid partner's leave, and again, this can be taken within the first 24 months of the child being born. Our hope is that this will result in the responsibility for childcare being shared more equitably between the parents.
We are also ensuring that when our parents take parental leave, KiwiSaver contributions continue, and holiday pay is at full value on return from leave. In addition, Buddle Findlay will be offering one-on-one coaching for both parents and leaders through an external coaching provider. This coaching is available prior, during and on return from parental leave, and supports the transition in and out of parental leave as well as navigating some of the complexities that come about later in parenting. The policy is wrapped around with leadership expectations, return to work planning and budget relief.
The new policy will come into effect on 1 January 2023. Charlotte von Dadelszen, Buddle Findlay board member says "We know how hard it can be to be a parent and maintain your career, and the research tells us this is more challenging for women. We've developed a more equitable parental leave policy, allowing for both parents to take time away from work and play an active and primary role in the care of their child. We worked hard to listen to our people and respond to what they were telling us. The partners are really proud of the new package and entitlements, and genuinely believe it reflects the importance Buddle Findlay places on supporting our people and their whānau."