The policy entitles salaried team members to 26 weeks full pay plus 13 weeks statutory maternity pay. Hourly team members are entitled to 13 weeks full pay, 13 weeks half pay plus 13 weeks statutory pay.
The purpose of this is to support those on maternity leave at a time when the cost-of-living crisis is starting to squeeze family budgets.
Greene Sky, the company’s women employee-led inclusion group, has played an integral role in the design and development of the new policy. By conducting listening groups with team members, they have raised concerns about support available and the impact to careers that going on maternity leave can have.
The company is also offering women wrap around support from the moment they announce their pregnancy to their return to work.
Updated policy
Greene King chief people and transformation officer Andrew Bush said: “Our research showed that in 2020 only 53% of women returned to work for us following maternity leave.
“This stark figure showed us it was clear we needed to update our policy so women feel supported to be able to confidently choose the right time to start a family and for them to feel they can return to work at the right time for them, without feeling financially pressured to return.
“We’re continuing our journey of Everyday Inclusion, where we want to demonstrate that every person’s contribution is valued, and the new maternity leave policy and support package is a huge step forward and is now one of the strongest policies in the marketplace.”
Helping out
Line managers will receive guidance on how they can support team members before, during and after their maternity leave, as they are often one of the first people outside the family that will be told when someone is expecting a baby.
Team members will also be able to flex their return to work in the first eight weeks to help ease the transition back to working life, as well as the ability to access additional financial support.
Greene King head of strategy Rachel Pescod said: "Greene King's new maternity policy will allow me to spend the important early months with my new baby and return to work at the right time for me and my family. It takes some financial stress away amidst a wider cost of living crisis and it makes me proud to work for a company that cares for its team members."