Unilever is a staple on the Jobs.mom featured employers showcase. The company’s commitment to maternal mental and physical well-being before, during and after pregnancy is a gold standard for other employers.
At Unilever, we already have our global maternity and paternity support platform (MAPS) which helps guide parents and line managers to ensure there’s a positive transition into parenthood.
Improving support for expectant moms and women returners
“Now we’re taking our support to the next level with the launch of a Global Maternal Wellbeing Standard, to support women in the transition to being a working mum,” says Unilever’s Executive Vice President of Global Marketing and Head of Global Diversity and Inclusion, Aline Santos.
Our improved maternity standard aims to help returning mothers as they “physically recover their health; to provide access to facilities that allow them to nurse their baby and to also have the flexibility they need to ease back into the workplace after their maternity leave”.
Here are the four key elements that make up our Global Maternal Wellbeing Standard.
Unilever is currently actively seeking applications from the Jobs.mom talent base to full the following open positions:
DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN DATA SCIENTIST – EC HUB
CUSTOMER OPERATIONS MANAGER – TEA CO
ASSISTANT CD (SALES) OPERATIONS MANAGER – AMERICAS UI
ASSOCIATE ECOMMERCE CATEGORY MANAGER – SUNDIAL BRANDS
ASSISTANT SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER – UI
DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN DATA ENGINEER – EC HUB
BENEFITS
- Paid maternity leave of 16 weeks for every mum
All employees will have a minimum of 16 weeks’ paid maternity leave, or the local statutory minimum – whichever is more favourable. This is a big and bold step for Unilever. Maternity leave was under 16 weeks in 54% of the countries in which we operate before the launch of the standard in March 2017. Now we have 91% alignment.
- Flexible ways of working to suit a family’s needs
All mothers returning to work will have access to a variety of flexible working options. This could be the option to go part time, work in an agile way which allows a job share, based on the requirements of their role by the end of 2017 at the latest.
- Facilities and regular breaks for nursing mothers
Every site with more than 50 women will have lactation facilities available by the end of 2018. Lactating mothers must have two 30-minute breaks.
- Crèche services to take the stress out of childcare
By the end of 2018, sites with more than 50 female employees will facilitate access to crèche services tailored to local needs.
As Aline Santos acknowledges: “We have come a long way in our support for working mothers. Our new Global Standard is further evidence of this. Together, we will continue to create a supportive and nurturing environment for everyone at Unilever.”