We announce re-accreditation as a Family Inclusive Workplace in Australia

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has re-affirmed its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by being named a family friendly organisation with re-accreditation by Parents At Work as a ‘Family Inclusive Workplace (2023-2025)’ under the formal standards.

The firm also launched this year new and improved policies to assist its people and their families in Australia. The firm’s refreshed Australian parental leave policy is now more flexible, gender neutral and inclusive.

It offers 26 weeks of paid leave for all primary carers through birth, adoption, surrogacy or long-term foster care. The leave can be taken in the first 24 months of the child’s life and is gender neutral, meaning anyone is eligible to become a primary carer.

It also contains new provisions for fertility leave (up to 5 days per annum); new leave provisions for short-term and long-term foster care arrangements; and leave for pregnancy loss and miscarriage, with 5 days of leave for pregnancy loss at less than 20 weeks’ gestation and 26 weeks post 20 weeks’ gestation.

All provisions are offered on a flexible basis so the firm can work with individuals to design a leave plan to suit each family circumstance including those in kinship care arrangements.

This follows the launch in 2023 of the firm’s first cultural and religious leave swap policy in Australia, which enables people to swap up to two public holidays per year with days of cultural and/or religious significance to them, excluding the firm’s end of year formal office closure. This policy was created in celebration of the fact that the firm’s people may observe traditions and holidays of cultural, religious or ethnic significance that are different to those marked by public holidays in Australia. 

The above policies build on Norton Rose Fulbright’s strong record for diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2021 it was the first law firm to be certified as a ‘Family Inclusive Workplace’ by UNICEF and Parents At Work under the Australian standards set by Parents at Work at that time.

Norton Rose Fulbright chief executive partner in Australia, Alison Deitz, commented:

“We are delighted to have been re-accredited by Parents At Work this year. We know that the journey to parenthood looks different for everyone. Our refreshed parental leave policy is generous, flexible, gender neutral and inclusive. It provides enhanced leave provisions and support for all our staff and partners in Australia. Together with our recognised commitment to family inclusion, and changes supporting important cultural and religious days for our people, we are proud to be able to offer these programs to our people.”