DHL Supply Chain announces 100% paid Maternity Leave for all U.S. Associates
The announcement is the latest development in the company’s effort to promote growth and advancement of female leaders and a culture of inclusion throughout the organization
DHL Supply Chain, a provider in contract logistics and part of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has announced it will offer 100% paid maternity leave to all female associates in the United States. This policy update is the latest development to support the company’s broader commitment to attract, retain, and advance women throughout the organization. Globally, DHL has committed to achieving a goal of 30% female leadership by 2025.
Effective January 1, 2021, this policy will provide birthing mothers with an extended maternity disability leave of 12 weeks at 100% of pay beginning at the time of birth. Adoptive parents will also receive 100% of their pay for up to 12 weeks.
“The industry is making progress in attracting and developing more female leaders, but at DHL Supply Chain we want to find even more ways to create a flexible work environment that supports the advancement of women across the organization,” said Scott Sureddin, CEO, DHL Supply Chain, North America. “The updated maternity leave policy is just one of the many ways we are supporting our employees and their advancement within the company.”
The new maternity leave policy is just one element of a broader, three-tiered approach aimed at building the pipeline of female employees, enabling a more balanced approach to work and driving an inclusion culture across DHL Supply Chain North America.
- Building the Pipeline: Through university partnerships and formal college recruiting programs, a team of professionals engages in on-campus activities, connect with women in business groups and participate in College Day activities to attract top female talent across all areas of the business. Because of the work of this program, which attracts more than 400 interns and entry-level managers annually from more than 50 colleges and universities in North America, the organization has already achieved 30% female participation in its annual recruiting classes. As schools navigate to a more virtual environment amid the pandemic, DHL Supply Chain is adjusting its practices to continue to achieve its goal by leveraging the Handshake platform, which will ensure the organization does not lose momentum and remains intentional when it comes to filling its pipeline.
- Enabling a Balanced Approach to Work: Creating a flexible work environment is an integral element to support female advancement. Providing 100% paid maternity leave, updating attendance policies to include more flexible scheduling options for hourly workers and establishing employee resource groups to create opportunities for best practice sharing and dedicated programming are just a few of the ways the organization is working to create an atmosphere that empowers and retains its female talent.
- Driving Inclusion Culture: Earlier this year, DHL Supply Chain launched its 100 Years 100 Women Campaign to involve both women and men in creating an inclusive business environment. In conjunction with the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the campaign highlights 100 employees, male and female, and their stories about how women have made an impact on their own personal careers. Programming not only seeks to inspire but to sustain a culture of inclusion.
“If we really want to create sustained change it comes down to culture and ensuring everyone is on board, including our male colleagues,” said Meredith Singletary, Senior HR Director, DHL Supply Chain, North America. “Allyship is critical to the success of these initiatives, and I am encouraged by the support we have here at DHL Supply Chain.”
Sureddin shared the news of the updated maternity leave policy with more than 2,500 employees across North America during the company’s first-ever Women in Supply Chain Live! virtual conference this week.
This inaugural event kicks off a new Women in Supply Chain Quarterly Event Series. Each event will focus on building a more inclusive and supportive culture to promote female retention and advancement through best practice sharing, policy development, and networking across the organization.
“We know diverse teams generate the best ideas, which lead to the strongest innovations for our customers. That is proven,” said Sureddin. “Attracting, retaining and advancing women within our organization is not only the right thing to do, it is absolutely critical to the future success of our business and our industry.”
