British American Tobacco pledges new benefits for Parents
British American Tobacco (BAT) Group has cascaded an enhanced set of parental benefits to support new parents every step of the way across the world. As part of the wider business transformation, we aim to shape our workplace to drive diversity and inclusion. We are incredibly proud that new parents at BAT will now enjoy significantly improved terms than the existing minimum legal requirements in many countries. Branded Parents@BAT, the benefits are underpinned by 3 key pillars:
- 16 weeks’ minimum paid maternity leave & a guaranteed return to work
- Flexible work opportunities
- Online Parental Coaching support
BAT has extended Parents@BAT to all its employees across East & Central Africa, namely in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius & La Reunion with application to both new and adoptive parents. Changing attitudes to shared parental responsibility and modern family dynamics are shifting parental expectations globally. To continue attracting and retaining the very best talent, and to stay true to our values as a family-friendly employer, BAT Group will continually evolve its employee experience.
Commenting on the deployment of Parents@BAT, the Area Director for BAT East & Central Africa Area, Beverley Spencer-Obatoyinbo said;
“At BAT, we are continually transforming our workplace to adapt and be relevant in today’s world. It is critical we provide the relevant infrastructure to our teams for them to thrive and achieve full career potential. Parents, predominantly working mothers, have to choose or compromise between career and family. At BAT we believe in enabling parents’ personal and career journey.”
Head of Human Resources for East & Central Africa Area, Razeeah Belath said: “Parents@BAT is a key enabler for the development and retention of more women into senior leadership roles. Parenthood is a life changing event which can affect their professional space and life balance. With Parents@BAT, we not only coach new parents before returning to work but also equip their line managers to better collaborate and assist their transition.”
The three key pillars to the new package (Parents@BAT) of global parental benefits are:
16 weeks’ minimum pay and a return to work guarantee – wherever you are in the world Although BAT already goes above and beyond local legislation in many of the countries it operates in, Parents@BAT will ensure all new mothers and adoptive parents will receive a minimum of 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, regardless of location, with BAT supplementing statutory pay where required. A return to work guarantee means that all new mothers who are on maternity leave (or parents who are on adoption leave) will be able to return to their previous job, or a suitable alternative wherever reasonably practicable.
Flexible work opportunities – recognising the modern world we live in All new parents and adopters will have the opportunity to request flexible working arrangements following their return to work during the first year of the child’s birth or arrival. Depending on role and location, this could mean one or more days off per working week, reduced working hours or the flexibility to work from home subject to local business requirements and legislation.
Online parental coaching support – support at a time when new parents need it most
BAT has created an informative online coaching service – Parents@BAT Online – to not only help new parents, but also to ensure line managers are fully prepared for career discussions and equipped to support those returning to work. It aims to answer some of the questions new parents didn’t even know they would have – providing tips and advice to make the transition from maternity or adoption leave that little bit easier.
