Co-op to give staff paid leave for fertility treatments

Co-op staff will be eligible for flexible unrestricted paid time off for fertility treatments, under a new policy the retailer has announced.

The policy supports individuals, partners and surrogates receiving and recovering from the physical and psychological effects of fertility treatment, with paid leave for up to 10 appointments per cycle and for up to three cycles of fertility treatment.

The company says it recognises the need for support, with paid time off for colleagues whose partners are undergoing fertility treatment, to enable colleagues to support their partner through treatment, regardless of how long they have worked for Co-op or the number of hours they work.

Research into fertility treatment in the workplace conducted by Co-op and YouGov has found that more than 45 per cent of people currently undertaking or who have undertaken fertility treatment whilst working did not talk to their manager beforehand about the treatment.

Additionally, more than 80 per cent of those who have had some direct, or indirect, experience with IVF treatment whilst working say a fertility treatment policy at work should be a legal requirement for all UK companies.

Shirine Khoury-Haq, CEO of the Co-op, said: “It’s incredibly difficult to navigate through fertility treatment while balancing work and the wider impact it has on your life.

“Sadly, in some cases, there is also the need to manage the physical and emotional impact of failed cycles and even pregnancy loss.

“The decision to discuss this with your employer is an incredibly difficult and personal one. However, by creating a supportive environment companies can go a long way in opening the conversation with colleagues and easing the stress that people in this situation often feel.

“Having gone through all of this myself, I felt very lucky to be in a supportive professional environment,” Khoury-Haq added.

“However, this isn’t always the case for so many people. I feel very proud that the Co-op is leading the way on launching a fertility policy and supporting our colleagues at a time when they need it most.”

Co-op is making the policy publicly available to also encourage other companies to introduce dedicated fertility treatment polices to ensure people across the UK workforce receive adequate support with fertility.

The retailer is also set to launch a specific guide for managers to help provide appropriate practical and emotional support to those going through fertility treatment, as more than 50 per cent of the people surveyed said infertility was too personal to talk about and did not feel comfortable raising it.

Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, said: “I really welcome the Co-op’s leading response to fertility support for employees.

“We all recognise the pressures placed on families and individuals going through fertility treatment, and time off to support partners is such an important step forward.

“But crucially we still talk too little about these sorts of issues and I hope the Co-op is also able to create the inclusive and supportive environment that is so desperately needed.”

Fertility Matters at Work and Surrogacy UK have both welcomed the news which came at the start of this year’s National Fertility Week.

Claire Ingle, co-founder of Fertility Matters at Work, said: “It is inspiring when organisations such as the Co-op recognise the need to support conversations such as this one.

“Policies are a great starting point to get the ball rolling and signal to people in the organisation that their struggles are valid but there is more we can do to see significant cultural change in this arena to really make a difference for those who are faced with fertility struggles.”

Sarah Jones, Head of Surrogacy at Surrogacy UK, added: “It is wonderful to see Co-op launch such an inclusive fertility policy which takes into consideration the specific needs of those creating their families through surrogacy.

“Undertaking a surrogacy journey, either as a surrogate or as an intended parent can genuinely be made all the more positive by having a supportive employer who understands their employee’s needs.”

A number of other large UK companies, including NatWest and Centrica, have announced similar fertility policies in an effort to support staff.