UNILEVER Philippines on Tuesday said it has introduced new benefits for its employees, such as expanded paternity leave, adoption leave, and recognition of same-sex partners as eligible beneficiaries.
In a statement, Unilever Philippines said its parent company had implemented three weeks of paid paternity leave for its employees around the world.
For the Philippines, Unilever employees can avail of 20 days of paid paternity leave, which is more than the seven-day paternity leave mandated by law. This complements Unilever’s 120-day expanded maternity benefit which implemented in 2017.
“We recognize the roles that both mothers and fathers play in the upbringing of their children, which is why we have expanded the paternity leave for the fathers in our workforce,” Unilever Philippines Chairman and CEO Benjie Yap was quoted as saying in the statement.
The company also introduced a new Domestic Partner Policy, “wherein same-sex partners of employees can now be enrolled as beneficiaries who will have access to health care benefits, as well as be eligible for maternity and paternity leave.”
Unilever Philippines is also giving paid leave to employees, who are adopting a child aged six months and below, “to foster familiarization and bonding as a family similar with the newborn child.”
“Diversity is an essential requirement in the today’s workforce, as it lends to new ideas, energies, and solutions. As we are a company driven by people with purpose, it is equally important for us to support our employees, recognizing the varying unions and families that they may be part of,” Mr. Yap said.
“This is fundamental to our sustainability strategy, as we move toward becoming an even more inclusive workplace, where every employee is valued and empowered to share their best work with the rest of the team and with our stakeholders,” he added.
