At the world’s first Working Dads’ Summit, we celebrated just some of the organisations who have equal parental leave policies.
Meet some of the dads who have benefitted from equal parental leave and hear about how it’s benefitted their relationships. And hear from the employers about how and why they’ve implemented equal parental leave policies.
Theo Broughton
Head of Creative from Universal Music Group
Theo Broughton, Head of Creative from Universal Music Group UK has recently taken up 6 months paid paternity leave.
He said: “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, Chief People Officer, UMG UK said: “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
Zarar Ali, a manager in Deloitte’s technology & transformation business, welcomed his first child, Eliz, earlier this year. He also took advantage of Deloitte’s extended paid family leave, taking six months off, so he could actively participate in his daughter’s early life.
He said: “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, said: “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.”
E.ON, who will also be sharing insights at the Summit, offer Equal Parental Leave, with over 350 colleagues taking this benefit so far since it was launched in January 2023.
David Evans
Improvement Senior Lead at npower Business Solutions, which is part of E.ON UK
David Evans, Improvement Senior Lead at npower Business Solutions, which is part of E.ON UK, took Equal Parent Leave and said: “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, said: “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.”
Read the full list of 165 employers that offer equal parental leave.