Marvin OnumonuA report from Parenting Out Loud launched at the first Working Dads’ Summit listed 165 UK employers offering equal parental leave (EPL).
The report showed more businesses were giving dads and non-birthing partners the same paid leave as mums, regardless of gender or family structure.
Of the 165 employers with EPL, 72 allowed up to six months fully paid paternity leave.
Employers offering EPL mainly operated in banking, insurance, legal, FMCG, publishing, consulting and charity sectors.
Businesses that introduced EPL reported improvements in recruitment, retention, staff wellbeing and gender balance.
Elliott Rae, founder of Parenting Out Loud, said: “Supporting dads to be equal parents is good for everybody.
“It is essential for workplace gender equality with 80% of the gender pay gap attributed to the motherhood penalty.
“It’s essential to improve parents’ wellbeing as 1 in 5 mums and 1 in 10 dads experience some symptoms of post-natal depression.”
Rae added: “And it’s essential for children as the benefit of strong paternal involvement in the early years supports wellbeing and resilience outcomes.
“However, the policy alone is not enough. Businesses must invest in culture change work to normalise male caring and support dads to Parent Out Loud at work; taking the full parental leave available, requesting flexible working for childcare reasons and having an open diary with their childcare responsibilities.
“It’s the policy and culture change together that supports society to move away from some of the harmful and narrow traditional ideas of masculinity and evolve what it means to be a man and a dad for the benefit of everybody.”
Universal Music Group UK, Deloitte and E.ON were among the companies offering EPL.
REACTION:
Theo Broughton, head of creative at Universal Music Group UK:
“Our new equal family policy has been enormously beneficial to me and my family.
“It’s allowed me to be fully present with my family, supporting my partner during a challenging birth for the first month.
“I’ve also taken 5 months later in the year to be the primary carer of our daughter while my wife returns to work.
“We don’t have family in or anywhere near London, so being able to split the time allows us both to bond with her and keep our careers moving forward.”
Ange Pattico, CPO at Universal Music Group UK:
“At the heart of UMG UK culture is a deep recognition that family plays a vital role in our wellbeing and long-term success – both personally and professionally.
“That’s why we introduced our Family Matters equal parental leave policy in 2023: to ensure every parent, regardless of gender or role, can be present for life’s most meaningful moments.
“This policy isn’t just about time off – it’s about creating space for connection, growth and choice.
“We’re proud that we have seen tremendous uptake of our enhanced partner leave offer, a signal that reflects changing norms and a more inclusive approach to caregiving. And it’s having impact.
“Parents have told us how the leave, combined with our parental transition coaching, has helped them navigate new responsibilities, engage in open conversations with their managers and return to work with confidence and clarity.
“When we support families, we support the whole person – and that’s what drives a thriving and resilient workplace.”
Zarar Ali, a manager in Deloitte’s technology & transformation business:
“The extended paid family leave allowed me to fully support my wife and bond with Eliz. Having the time to learn, laugh, and grow as a family was invaluable, especially since our immediate family live abroad.
“My team has been incredibly supportive throughout the entire process, both before my leave and once I returned to work.”
Jackie Henry, managing partner for people and purpose at Deloitte:
“Our family leave policy is a significant step towards becoming an even more family-friendly place to work. It supports our people in balancing work and family responsibilities from the early days of parenthood, ultimately fostering greater gender equality in the workplace.
“So far, over 625 non-birth parents have applied, with 360 already taking leave averaging 23 weeks. It’s brilliant seeing the first colleagues benefiting from our new policy and hearing about the difference it’s making.
“We were confident that enhancing our family leave policies was the right thing to do, but the sheer volume of positive messages shared by our people surpassed our expectations.
“We need to keep on creating a culture where everyone feels empowered to take full advantage of the support available, without fear of stigma or career repercussions.
“We’ll continue to review and evolve our policies to meet our people’s changing needs.”
David Evans, improvement senior lead at npower Business Solutions, part of E.ON UK:
“Having had a baby who unfortunately had to go into neonatal, I will be forever grateful for the neonatal and extended parental leave support offered through E.ON.
“For four weeks I had the opportunity to support my wife and my son in a way that no other father in that ward did. I was able to become NGT Tube trained and feed my son independently.
“I was able to spend all day on that ward with no thought for anything other than my family. E.ON is providing fathers the opportunity to be there in ways few other employers are.
“Once we left the hospital, our new family was able to spend 18 additional weeks together, in whatever way suited us.
“I chose to break my entitlement into smaller chunks and spread them out over 12 months. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to be “present” for baby sensory, for my son’s first go on the swing and for so many other firsts.
“Thank you to everyone who helped in giving working dads at E.ON that opportunity.”
Charlotte Lack, head of safe and well at E.ON UK:
“Stories like David’s clearly demonstrate how supporting Equal Parent Leave is about so much more than just time off – it’s about shifting cultures and respecting our colleagues both inside and outside of work.
“When we actively encourage fathers to take leave and be truly present with their families, we send a powerful message: that care and responsibility are shared, and everyone deserves the opportunity to show up fully both at home and at work.
“At E.ON, we’re proud to create an environment where this is not only possible but celebrated as part of our wider commitment to supporting families in all their forms and at every stage of their journey.”
The next Working Dads’ Summit will feature speakers including Stella Creasy MP and Baroness Penn on statutory paternity leave reform, and was supported by CIPD, the Fatherhood Institute, 30% Club and Working Families.
The event will take place on 23rd September.
