UK firm offering fully-funded parental leave to new parents

One of the most family-friendly offer by any UK employer

At a time when fathers are entitled to one or two weeks of paid paternity leave, one of UK’s largest insurer is setting a noble trend. Aviva will now be offering its 16,000 employees 26 weeks leave on full basic pay, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.

According to the BBC, the policy applies to all new parents — who have given birth, adopted or chosen surrogacy.

The new parental policy will be applied to employees who become a parent on or after November 19, 2017 and applicable to countries such as the UK, Ireland, France, Singapore and Canada.

Aviva says that the move will create a “level playing field for men and women” who want to take time out of their career to spend time with their family.

“I want to live in a world where the only criteria for success is someone’s talent, not their gender. Treating parents equally will help make this happen,” commented group chief executive officer Mark Wilson.

“We want Aviva to be a progressive, inclusive, welcoming place to work. It’s good for our people and it’s also good business sense,” Wilson added.

Fathers often take a minimum amount of time off for financial reasons, whilst their partner’s income is reduced.