Beverage business Innocent Drinks has launched a fertility friendly policy for its around 900 employees as of this month.
The workplace initiative gives employees undergoing fertility treatment, as well as their partner if they have one, access to up to eight days of paid leave per cycle, separate to any other leave, as well as enhanced flexible working during this time. It also pledged to support same sex couples and solo parents who want to start a family.
Innocent implemented a dedicated quiet area in its head office to take sensitive phone calls related to fertility issues and for administering of medication, as well as publishing a fertility support guide for employees and managers. It also installed a medical fridge to keep any relevant medication separate.
Then employer launched the policy via a virtual event for all staff, with fertility nurse consultant Kate Davies, who helped create it, discussing the new plans with the office and answering questions.
Sarah-Jane Norman, people and culture director at Innocent Drinks, said: “At Innocent, creating an inclusive workplace is hugely important to us. We want our people to feel comfortable having open conversations with their managers including those times they may need help balancing work alongside life’s other demands. We also understand there are some things that are difficult to speak about, especially in the workplace.
“Our Parents and Carers affinity group identified that one of those difficult conversations was around fertility treatment. That’s why they worked with our people team to help launch our new fertility friendly workplace policy. We see it as a way to help normalise work conversations around fertility and create a supportive environment for our people going through fertility treatment alone or as a couple. I’m proud this policy will support our people in times they most need it and hope it helps inspire wider change around the workplace conversations we should be having.”