Buttress signs Working Forward pledge

Buttress has joined Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and business leaders across the city in signing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Working Forward pledge.

Established in 2016, Working Forward is a national campaign working to make organisations the best that they can be for pregnant women and new parents. A coalition of high profile employers is driving the initiative, leading the way on supporting pregnancy and maternity rights.

In signing the pledge, the practice is committing to taking on-going action to improve the workplace for working parents and parents to be.

Associate Director, Chithra Marsh, who signed the pledge on behalf of the practice, said: “In signing the pledge we are demonstrating our continued commitment to supporting pregnant women and new parents. As a practice we value integrity and being part of the Working Forward initiative will help us uphold this principle by making Buttress a fair and supportive working environment for expectant mothers and working parents."

Working Forward follows landmark research which shows pregnancy and maternity discrimination and disadvantage at work affects around 390,000 pregnant women and new mothers each year.

It highlights that, while the majority of employers say they are firm supporters of female staff during and after pregnancy and find it easy to comply with the law, three in four (77%) mothers say they have had a negative or possibly discriminatory experience at work.

Members, which include large and small businesses from across the private and public sector, help to drive long-term positive change by signing up to action in at least two areas, including:

• demonstrating leadership from the top down
• ensuring confident employees training and supporting
line managers
• offering flexible working practices

Find out more about Working Forward here

Photo credit: Claire Brookes and the Equality and Human Rights Commission.