The revitalised Family Friendly Policy focuses on Elior’s ambition to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, ensuring that everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

Elior recognises that the menopause is, in particular, a taboo topic. Breaking the taboo and raising awareness of the menopause and the impact it can have in the workplace, means that colleagues who may be experiencing the menopause will be better supported at work. This is completely inclusive of women, transgender, non-binary and intersex. Elior will encourage open conversations between managers and colleagues and will offer information and supportive material on its learning platform, Thrive.

The contract caterer’s revitalised Family Friendly Policy also supports any colleague who experiences a miscarriage (prior to 24 weeks of pregnancy) or stillbirth (after 24 weeks of pregnancy). Two weeks fully paid leave is available to all affected colleagues, both male and female, across the company. There is no minimum length of service required.

Elior is training managers to provide appropriate practical and emotional support to a colleague affected by baby loss either before or after 24 weeks’ gestation. Raising awareness of this topic is important because it means that colleagues who may have experienced baby loss are able to access the support they need.

Elior will also consider any aspects of the working environment that may worsen menopausal symptoms or feelings when experiencing the loss of a baby. This may include identifying and addressing specific risks to the health and wellbeing of those affected by the menopause or a miscarriage or stillbirth. Elior also offers support via its Colleague Support Programme which provides physical, mental and confidential support and free and confidential access to counsellors and advisors on-line or by phone.

In addition to Elior’s menopause awareness training programme and support for colleagues suffering a miscarriage or stillbirth, Elior has enhanced its maternity and paternity leave packages to encourage new parents to take more time off work to bond with their child and be with their family. This enhancement is also offered to colleagues who take adoption or shared parental leave.

Elior has introduced rigorous diversity and inclusion and wellbeing targets to be achieved by 2025. In two areas - increasing the number of female chefs at all levels and increasing the number of females in middle and senior manager positions within the Head Office - Elior has already exceeded its 2025 targets.

Emma Langford, Head of HR & People Development at Elior said: “Every company should be supporting its workforce in the best way it can. The pandemic has certainly shone a spotlight on wellbeing and this sparks the beginning of a more nurturing era.

“At Elior, we looked and we listened. We took time to understand what the real concerns were, where people were really struggling and addressed these often-taboo issues. I’m thrilled that we are actively doing more to support colleagues going through the menopause and can offer extended emotional and financial support for colleagues grieving a baby loss. Our new Family Friendly Policy means our valued workforce now has more support in the areas that matter most.”