P&G expands parental leave policy to cover same sex couples, live-in partners

New Delhi: Fast moving consumer goods company P&G India on Wednesday announced a slew of initiatives that it said will help promote gender equality at the workplace as well as help the company step up its work with women-owned businesses in India.

Its parental leave policy in India will make eligible biological parents, domestic partners, adoptive parents, parents in same-sex couples to eight weeks fully paid leave.

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“P&G is introducing ‘Share the Care’, a new inclusive parental leave policy in India. This will entitle all new parents including biological parents, domestic partners, adoptive parents, parents in same-sex couples to 8 weeks fully paid parental leave. This builds on the company’s existing maternity leave policy of 26 weeks for birthing mothers and adoption leave of 26 weeks for primary caregivers,” the company said on Wednesday.

The company that sells Whisper menstrual hygiene products and Ariel detergents will also actively work with women-promoted businesses over the next few years. For this the company has pledged to spend ₹300 crore.

The move to work with women-only businesses is an extension of its 2018 announcement.

“The company has already spent more than Rs200 crore with women-owned businesses in India. Furthering this commitment, P&G will spend ₹300 crore by deliberately working with women-owned businesses in India over the next three years,” it said.

“We want to drive equal opportunities for women and girls in education, at home, and in the workplace,” said Madhusudan Gopalan, CEO, P&G Indian Subcontinent.

P&G said it will continue working towards raising awareness about menstrual hygiene, through its brand Whisper. The company has already educated 4 crore girls in India on menstrual hygiene practices and will educate more than 2.5 crore adolescent girls on puberty and hygiene over the next three years, it said.

"In India, we have made strong progress through our initiatives like Whisper Menstrual Health and Hygiene Program, P&G Shiksha, working with women-owned businesses and campaigns like Ariel 'ShareTheLoad' and Gillette 'ShavingStereotypes'. Our new declarations will further accelerate our progress through a series of new actions, commitments and partnerships," Gopalan added.

The company said it is also working towards engaging with over 10,000 women across P&G’s external network i.e. customers, retailers, agency partners, among others over the next year to make them adept at digital and technological skills.