Standard Chartered employees to access minimum 20-week parental leave benefit

Standard Chartered recently announced the rollout of enhanced global parental leave benefits that will also benefit its employees in Uganda, effective 1 September 2023.

The Bank will standardise the amount of parental leave it offers, providing parents the option of undertaking more equitable caregiving responsibilities for their children.

With the enhanced benefits, employees can access a minimum of 20 weeks of paid parental leave, irrespective of gender, relationship status or how a child comes to permanently join an employee’s family.

The enhanced benefits have been designed to support working parents. This is part of the Bank’s commitment to fostering an inclusive culture, where employees are supported in balancing their personal lives with building successful careers.

Tanuj Kapilashrami, Group Head, Human Resources, Standard Chartered, said they are continuously looking at how they can introduce progressive benefits that drive inclusion, improve the employee experience, and help colleagues achieve their potential.

Kapilashrami: “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.

Adding: “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.”