Central Co-op has been announced as one of the UK organisations working towards becoming a Fertility Friendly employer.
The ethical retailer has partnered with the social enterprise educational training provider Fertility Matters at Work to implement policy-backed best practice when supporting its colleagues experiencing fertility challenges.
In addition to undertaking the training provided by Fertility Matters at Work, Central Co-op has launched two new policies, ‘Fertility Treatment’ and ‘Pregnancy Loss’, which outlines the support and guidance employees will be given during these events.
As part of the launch, the co-operative hosted a webinar with Fertility Matters co-founders, Becky Kearns and Natalie Silverman, aiming for all employees to understand the often-challenging journey to parenthood better.
With support from the fertility organisation, two more webinars will be hosted this year to help embed Central Co-op’s new policies, including a webinar on Pride month in June and, later in the year, a webinar on pregnancy and baby loss.
Inclusion and Wellbeing Manager at Central Co-op, Naomi Smith, comments on the positive long-term effects of having new fertility-focused policies for the Co-op’s workforce: “Giving colleagues the support when they need it most will create a workplace where wellbeing is nourished and protected. By encouraging the conversation on these topics, we’ll create a more inclusive workplace where everyone feels they can be themselves. When you get wellbeing and inclusion right, colleague engagement and retention naturally follow.”
Commenting on the Fertility Friendly accreditation, Naomi shares: “At Central Co-op, we care about the wellbeing of our colleagues and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. By listening to our colleagues, we understood the need for more support for colleagues impacted by fertility treatment and pregnancy loss. We want to do more than simply launch a new policy; we want to open up the conversation and help to educate all colleagues. We also want to provide our people leaders with the support they need to support others.
“By working towards becoming a Fertility Friendly employer, we’re demonstrating our commitment to the wellbeing of our colleagues, and we know it will keep us focused on providing the support and resources our colleagues really need.”
Naomi continues: “Fertility Matters co-founder, Becky, was part of a panel discussion I attended on being a Fertility Ambassador. The webinar was excellent, with so many practical takeaways, and I knew that with Becky’s supportive and approachable style, Fertility Matters at Work would be the perfect partnership for Central Co-op and that they’d really be able to help us launch and embed our new policies.”
Natalie Silverman, co-founder of Fertility Matters at Work, comments: “We’re really excited to have Central Co-op on board, working with us to become a Fertility Friendly organisation.
“It’s incredibly positive that Central Co-op is dedicated to supporting their employees through launching their two new policies, and it’s even greater that they’re backing up these policies by gaining the knowledge required to implement them by undertaking our Fertility Friendly accreditation.
“We’re looking forward to working with the Central Co-op team in continuing the conversation with their two upcoming educational webinars”.
For more information on becoming a Fertility Friendly workplace, please visit: Services – Fertility Matters at Work