Family Friendly Workplaces

"As a father of two, this certification is especially meaningful to me, both personally and professionally. At Compass Group Australia, our purpose is to serve a better future, and that starts with our own team members. Our values guide everything we do, including how we support our employees through every stage of their family journey. As Executive Sponsor of our Gender Equity pillar, I’ve seen how certified initiatives like our enhanced parental leave, flexible work arrangements, and caregiver support are closely aligned with our broader efforts to build a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can thrive. These policies make a real difference in the lives of our team members and their families.” Toby Edmunds – Executive Director, Foodbuy, Delta FM and Omega Achieving the Family Friendly Workplaces certification marks a significant milestone in Compass Group Australia’s ongoing commitment to creating a workplace that is defined by flexibility, inclusion, and care. Through a strong culture of belonging and the implementation of progressive people policies, Compass Group continues to enable its workforce to effectively balance professional and family responsibilities, supporting employees across all stages of their family journey. Congratulations Compass Group Australia! Want to know how your organisation measures up? Take the first step towards becoming a more inclusive workplace by completing our free benchmarking assessment: https://hubs.la/Q03TrfJ_0 #ServeABetterFuture #CompassGroupAustralia

At Daiichi Sankyo Australia, family inclusion isn’t just a policy, it’s a lived value that shapes how people work, lead and care. With over 85% of employees juggling parenting or caregiving responsibilities, many with their parents and extended families living overseas, Daiichi Sankyo understands that real support means flexibility, trust, and compassion. Their standout initiatives like ‘Flexibility from Day 1’, generous paid Life Stage Leave, and progressive gender-neutral paid parental leave give employees the freedom to balance their professional goals alongside their family lives, creating a culture where everyone thrives. What truly stands out are the stories behind the policy: Tristan Armstrong, Franchise Lead, was the first to take advantage of the 16-week gender-neutral paid parental leave. By staggering his time off, he could be fully present when his family needed him most, without stepping away from his career. As Tristan says, “I want more men to know that it’s not only okay to take this time, it’s powerful. Fatherhood isn’t a side note to your career. It’s a chapter that deserves to be written with intention, love, and presence.” Lisa Eabry, Oncology Business Manager in VIC, uses a compressed work week to support her three children, especially during her son’s critical Year 12. “This flexible working arrangement not only strengthens my connection with my family but also positively impacts my productivity and wellbeing at work. This culture of empathy means I can be fully engaged, both as a parent and a professional.” Maria Shcherbakova, Senior People & Culture Advisor, shares how the flexible working arrangements and supportive leadership have transformed her experience: “Since joining DSAU, my quality of life and wellbeing have improved dramatically. As a parent of a young child, the flexibility here has made a huge difference. And when my father suddenly became gravely ill overseas, my manager, Natalie, supported me fully, encouraging me to take as much time as I needed to be with my family during that difficult period. This level of trust and understanding motivates me to give my best at work.” These stories reveal a workplace where trust, compassion and flexibility aren’t perks; they’re the foundation of how Daiichi Sankyo operates. 👏 Congratulations to Daiichi Sankyo Australia for leading with empathy and demonstrating how family-inclusive workplaces drive engagement, wellbeing, and purpose. Discover their full story here: https://hubs.la/Q03PDz2n0 #FamilyFriendlyWorkplace #FamilyInclusiveWorkplace #EmployerOfChoice #WorkLifeBalance [Image 1: Maria and her family cooking together in a bright kitchen. Image 2: Tristan and his family, with two young children and a dog posing together. Image 3: Lisa and her daughter smile beside a laptop showing a “Thanks for watching” slide at a school event.]

💜 At Accenture family comes first. As a certified Family Inclusive Workplace, Accenture is leading the way in embedding flexibility, inclusion and care into every stage of the employee experience. Through progressive policies and a strong culture of belonging, Accenture is supporting its people to balance their work and family responsibilities, no matter what their family journey looks like. What makes Accenture stand out: ➡️ 18 weeks of paid parental leave for all new parents, regardless of gender Paid leave for eldercare, disability support, menopause, and menstruation, and assisted reproductive treatment. ➡️ Flexible parental leave options across the first two years of a child’s life. ➡️ A thriving Family & Carers Employee Resource Group (ERG) offering workshops, wellbeing sessions and connection for parents and carers. With more than 770 employees taking parental leave in the past two years, 58% of them are men. Accenture’s family-first approach is not only transforming workplace culture but also reshaping gender balance in caring roles. As Carrie Smith , CMO and Executive Sponsor of the Family & Carers ERG, said: “Finding the ideal balance between family and work is not always easy. However, through practical and supportive initiatives such as flexible work arrangements and offerings to educate and empower working families, Accenture hopes to meet our people where they are, at all stages of life.” Congratulations, Accenture, for setting a benchmark in family inclusion this National Carers Week and for showing what’s possible when workplaces truly put people and families first. Read Accenture's case study: https://hubs.la/Q03NSHx50 [Image Description: Image of Carrie Smith with quote “At Accenture, we are firmly committed to a family-first culture where our people can build rewarding careers whilst prioritising the importance of family and carer responsibilities. Beyond our progressive policies, we are proud to offer our people an environment that is inclusive and supportive of all family types and stages.”

💙 Recognising and Supporting Carers at Work: AGL’s Data-Driven Approach With more Australians than ever juggling work and diverse caring responsibilities, employers like AGL are rethinking how they recognise, support, and raise the visibility of carers in the workplace. By embedding diversity and inclusion questions into its HR systems, AGL has built a clearer picture of its workforce, revealing that 36% of employees have caring responsibilities. This insight is helping shape policies, awareness initiatives, and wellbeing programs that make carers feel seen and supported. Leading this work is Suzanne Falvi, Executive General Manager of Corporate Affairs and Executive Sponsor of AGL’s Carers Network, whose personal experience as an elder carer fuels her passion: “Anyone can be a carer, and yet many people don’t see themselves as one. I didn’t at first either.” Through initiatives like Carers Week, storytelling, and a data-informed Carers Action Plan, AGL is showing how organisations can build trust, inclusion, and belonging for carers, both within and beyond the workplace. 👏 AGL is proudly a Supporting Sponsor of the Family Friendly Workplaces certification program and has been recognised on the 2025 Family Care Index as one of Australia’s top-scoring workplaces for carers. Read the full interview with Suzanne Falvi to learn how AGL is making carers visible at work: https://lnkd.in/dAK6ymFy #FamilyFriendlyWorkplace #AGL #CarersWeek #Inclusion #WorkplaceWellbeing Kiri Stejko

At Mantel, being a Family Friendly Workplace isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s core to who they are. Guided by their principle, “Make Things Better,” Mantel has built a people-first culture where every individual can design a work life that supports both their career and family. From equal paid parental leave for all parents and flexible “My Deal” work arrangements, to wellbeing and fertility support, Mantel is setting a new benchmark for how organisations can support parents and carers at every stage of life. “We want work to be a place where career and family don’t just co-exist ,they truly thrive.” - Caroline Henshaw, Mantel’s Chief People Officer. The results speak for themselves: ✅ 50% increase in men taking paid parental leave ✅ 90% retention rate after returning from leave ✅ Stronger female representation in leadership and tech roles ✅ Increased trust, engagement, and pride across the team Congratulations to Mantel Group for championing what the future of work looks like this National Carers Week! Read the Mantel case study now: https://lnkd.in/gFCgNdpQ #FamilyFriendlyWorkplace #FlexibleWork #Leadership #NationalCarersWeek [Image Description: Image of Caroline, Family Friendly Workplaces logo and Mantel logo. “For Mantel, creating a family-inclusive workplace isn't just about doing the right thing, it’s about smart business. We've seen firsthand that when team members feel supported in their roles as parents and caregivers, they bring their best selves to work....This isn’t a fad, it’s the new standard for how modern, successful companies will operate, and we're proud to be leading the way.” - Caroline Henshaw, Mantel’s Chief People Officer.]

Celebrating Coates: Now a Certified Family Inclusive Workplace. As we recognise National Carers Week, we’re proud to celebrate Coates being officially certified as a Family Inclusive Workplace for 2025 - 2027! This certification acknowledges Coates’ ongoing commitment to supporting employees in all aspects of work and family life, including the many who take on caring responsibilities. By creating flexible, inclusive policies and fostering a culture of understanding, Coates is helping pave the way for a future where everyone can thrive both at work and at home. “On behalf of Coates, thank you to all the 3 million+ Australian carers. We recognise and celebrate you, and we look forward to a family-friendly future where we can continue to live the Coates' values of Be our Best and Care Deeply” — Elise Manns, Executive General Manager - People & Safety, Coates Congratulations to Coates for their leadership in supporting carers and families and for joining a growing movement of organisations shaping a more inclusive, family-friendly Australia. This National Carers Week, see how your organisation measures up and show your support by taking the benchmarking assessment: https://hubs.la/Q03NRLqq0 #NationalCarersWeek #FamilyInclusiveWorkplace #FamilyFriendlyWorkplaces [Image Description: Announcing Certified Family Inclusive Workplace Coates for 2025 - 2027]

📣 Australia's Top Scoring Workplaces for Carers Revealed We’re proud to announce the launch of the inaugural Family Friendly Workplaces Family Care Index - Australia’s first showcasing how well workplaces are supporting employees with caring responsibilities. Drawn from more than two years of Family Inclusive Workplace™ Certification assessments, the Index provides a powerful snapshot of where employers are leading and where more progress is needed on care-related policies and practices. ✅ 93% of employers offer flexible work that responds to caring needs ✅ 94% are taking action to prevent carer-related discrimination ✅ 60%+ have all-inclusive policies that recognise care in all its forms ✅ 40% now formally acknowledge kinship care As Emma Walsh, CEO of Parents At Work and Founder of Family Friendly Workplaces, explains: “The Family Care Index show the encouraging progress being made by employers to respond to the care needs of their workforce and highlights the opportunity for others to follow.” The Index also highlights critical gaps, reminding us all that there is still work. When care is visible and measurable, it drives better people and business outcomes. Employees who feel their employer genuinely cares are more engaged and more likely to stay. That’s not just good for culture, it’s a competitive advantage. By designing inclusive workplaces where people feel their work and care needs are seen, supported, and valued, organisations create environments where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Read the full story and explore the results: https://hubs.la/Q03NpqDs0 Congratulations to our top scoring organisations (in alphabetical order): AGL, carsales, Commonwealth Bank, Deloitte, Endeavour Energy (NSW), Gilchrist Connell, HCF Australia, IFM Investors, Investa, KPMG Australia, Lion, Macquarie Group, Marsh McLennan, McCullough Robertson, Medibank, QBE Insurance, QIC, RSM Australia, Steadfast Group Limited, The NRMA, Transport for NSW & Workday. #FamilyCareIndex #FamilyFriendlyWorkplaces #Inclusion #Leadership #FlexibleWork #WorkplaceCulture #CareAndWork

💙 Celebrating Carers Across Australia This week, we join the community and workplaces across Australia in recognising National Carers Week (12–18 October). A national initiative led by Carers Australia which shines a light on the 3 million+ Australians providing unpaid care and support to loved ones through childhood, disability, chronic illness, ageing, and kinship care. We believe every carer deserves recognition, respect and real support - not just during one week, but every day. Through our benchmarking, education solutions and Family Friendly Workplaces certification program, we help organisations embed the practices and culture that make caring visible, accepted, and supported. This National Carers Week, we’ll share stories, perspectives and actions that help workplaces better support carers - whether they’re parents, partners, siblings, neighbours, or friends. Because as Carers Australia reminds us, caring is diverse and may touch all of us: you are one, know one, or will be one. Let’s make caring visible - at home and at work. This National Carers Week, see how your organisation measures up and show your support by taking the benchmarking assessment: https://hubs.la/Q03Nd9Hz0 #NationalCarersWeek #FamilyFriendlyWorkplaces #ParentsAtWork #Inclusion #Leadership [Image Description: Text: 'Celebrating National Carers Week 2025. National Carers Week is a time to celebrate and support Australia’s unpaid carers and to call on employers to make caring visible and valued at work.']

Our CEO Emma Walsh was proud to join the QLD Office for Women’s first roundtable on advancing the Women’s Economic Security Strategy. The discussion highlighted key barriers undermining women’s financial security such as pay inequity, unpaid care, career interruptions, harassment, and job insecurity. 👉 Our message: Family friendly policies are central to the solution. Embedding gender-equal parental leave, flexible work, and strong anti-harassment frameworks builds fairer, more productive workplaces for all. We thank Minister Hon Fiona Simpson MP GAICD for the opportunity to contribute to this important agenda. #WomensEconomicSecurity #GenderEquality #FamilyFriendlyWorkplaces #ParentalLeave #Flexibility

We’re thrilled to celebrate Swietelsky Rail Australia (SRA) on their recertification as a Family Inclusive Workplace! First certified in 2023, after reinventing how they support their people to be their best selves at home first, so they can bring their best to work, SRA continues to drive positive change. This is not “set and forget”; they’re committed to pushing past best practice on balance, flexibility and wellbeing. “Being recertified as a Family Inclusive Workplace demonstrates how far we’ve come in embedding balance, flexibility and wellbeing into our culture. The improvements we have made have strengthened our team and also earnt SRA industry awards and recognition. The work does not stop here, we’re always striving to do better so that our people can be their best selves at home first, and bring that energy into the workplace.” - Anne Connors, Managing Director, Swietelsky Rail Australia Congratulations to the entire SRA team for leading the way and demonstrating what family inclusion looks like in action! Want to know how your organisation measures up? Take the first step towards becoming a more inclusive workplace by completing our free benchmarking assessment: https://hubs.la/Q03HJxwC0 #Swietelsky #FamilyFriendlyWorkplaces #BuildingEverBetter #beb #ibb #Rail #Wellbeing #Flexibility