Threesixty Architecture has enhanced its maternity and adoption leave in a bid to tackle gender disparity within the sector.
From 15 May, employees will be entitled to six months of fully paid maternity and adoption leave. Associate director Gina Colley helped shape the new policy, which is designed to support employees' caring responsibilities and tackle one of the barriers to career progression in the sector.
Threesixty Architecture has also introduced enhanced paternity, adoption and fertility treatment policies to help encourage greater recruitment and retention of women.
Through the enhanced policies, the organisation has committed to using its business as a force for good, deliver a positive social and environmental impact, and continue its commitment to its employees’ welfare.
Colley said: “Our role is to create spaces for everyone. For those spaces to be truly inclusive, we must have a diverse workforce that reflects society. Allowing mothers the security of knowing that their careers will not falter if they have a child will encourage more women to see architecture as a profession which supports progression regardless of caring responsibilities. We are proud to support our staff to develop throughout their careers and look forward to implementing further strategic moves to continue to improve diversity at all levels of the practice.”
Alan Anthony, managing director at Threesixty Architecture, added: “It has always been hugely important that we make a genuine, positive difference in both our business practices and how we treat our staff, it’s the reason we exist. At our core is a mission to create a world built on care, openness, design and excellence, and growing a business that makes places better, where people and the planet go hand in hand. We hope our new policies will help not only further drive inclusion across our own firm, but, ultimately, inspire other practices to support more women to return to the profession after maternity leave, without it detrimentally affecting their career.”
