One of Australia’s largest insurers has been praised for its gender equality efforts this week after it was named among the country’s top workplaces for new fathers.

Allianz was included in the list of the Australia’s most supportive workplaces following research by parenting website Direct Advice for Dads and research firm CoreData. A first of its kind in Australia, the study analysed 500 of the nation’s largest companies by revenue to identify workplaces that are leading the way with dad-friendly policies.

Allianz was included in the final cut thanks to its progressive policies including 12 weeks primary carer’s leave available for new dads, an option of either two weeks extra paid parental leave or providing superannuation contributions during parental leave, and two days of family and emergency leave.

“When it comes to gender equity, Allianz is proud to be an organisation that is making a real investment into cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace culture,” said the firm’s diversity and sustainability manager, Charis Martin-Ross.

“Just as Allianz tackles barriers to women’s progress in the workplace, so to do we support men’s involvement with their families and homes,” he continued. “Support for dads help us tackle outdated gender stereotypes, improves gender equity at work and in the home, and has positive outcomes for children.”

The research found that Allianz is one of only 10 of Australia’s largest companies that allow parents to ‘pass the baton’ - meaning fathers or non-birth partners can assume the role of primary carer and access primary carer’s leave entitlements should their partner return to work within 12 months of the birth.

These polices are making an impact, with Allianz observing a 34% increase in non-manager males taking primary carer’s leave across its last two annual reporting periods.

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