From 2024, parents – regardless of gender – will receive their full salary for eight weeks in the first year after the birth of a child, with Henkel topping up the statutory parental allowance to the original salary.
New global guidelines apply to all genders
The new global guidance is based on the role of the caregiver and applies to all genders and any form of parenthood, including adoptive or foster parents, same-sex couples or single parents. With this, Henkel is sending a clear signal for more equality in child care.
“Henkel will be the first DAX40 company to offer its employees worldwide eight weeks of parental leave with full salary,” says Carsten Knobel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Henkel. “In doing so, we are sending a strong signal to all of our employees and underlining our strong commitment to promoting a more inclusive culture and greater gender equality.”
Sylvie Nicol, member of the Henkel board of directors responsible for human resources and sustainability, adds: “Childcare is often still primarily the responsibility of the mothers. With this initiative we would like to support expectant parents and break down traditional gender roles in order to enable everyone to participate in child care. This includes encouraging fathers to dedicate themselves to their family in the first few weeks – without financial losses.”
With the introduction of the initiative, Henkel is taking on a pioneering role among the DAX40 companies and is also meeting the growing expectations of younger generations, for whom equal childcare is becoming an increasingly important factor in family and career planning.
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