ABU DHABI: Leaders and institutional heads, honoured with the prestigious Parent-Friendly Label for fostering a supportive working environment for parents, shared their profound joy at the recognition presented to their organisations. President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, graciously acknowledged their achievements during a special gathering in Abu Dhabi.
“It is an honour to receive the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority Parent-Friendly Label. This recognition resonates with Nestlé’s commitment to the healthy development of children. By providing parental support and implementing flexible workplace policies, we aspire to cultivate an environment that uplifts employee well-being and strengthens family connections,’ said David Moloto, Nestlé Regional Human Resources Director Middle East and North Africa.
‘Visa is committed to creating an inclusive working environment that allows everyone to succeed and supports the needs of our many working parent colleagues in the UAE,’ said Andrew Torre
, President of Visa Central Europe, Middle East and Africa.
‘Gaining the parent-friendly label is valued recognition of programmes and policies that we have put in place to support wellbeing, productivity, and community. We are grateful to the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) for building understanding and awareness on the importance of parent-friendly workplaces and will carry the label with pride,’ he added.
Mohamed Ezz Eldin, Head, Gulf Countries, commented: ‘We are honoured to receive the Parent-Friendly Label, a testament to our commitment to fostering a workplace that supports working parents. At Novartis, we understand the importance of balancing work and family life, and we take great pride in building a work culture that empowers our employees to thrive in both spheres. This prestigious recognition is a reflection of our unwavering dedication to creating a truly parent-friendly workplace, aligning with the UAE’s vision of a supportive and inclusive society.’
‘We recognise the importance o
f empowering our teams, especially working parents, to understand the multifaceted challenges they navigate. Through our array of Parent-Friendly initiatives, such as flexible work arrangements, comprehensive maternity and paternity leave, dedicated nursing rooms and family care support, we advocate for work-life integration and acknowledge that while at work, one cannot detach from their personal life. By doing this, we aim to foster an inclusive environment where our people have peace of mind and feel supported and retain our top talents while remaining competitive in the market, as a Great Place to Work,’ said Wassim Eid President – People Culture at Chalhoub Group.
Jan Himmerkus Country Manager / Vice President at Wintershall DEA said: ‘We are proud of having been awarded the Parent-Friendly label, which underlines one of our core values, how we care for our people. Our flexible working hours and our home office model, having to be physically present at our offices only two days a week, helps parents to
optimise their week. Our policy of six months fully paid maternity leave underlines how we embrace families. We believe that this work-life balance approach fosters higher motivation at work delivering better results.’
Ali Matar, Growth Markets leader at LinkedIn said: ‘We are honoured to be awarded the parent-friendly workplace label from the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority. Diversity, inclusion, and belonging constitute one of six core pillars of LinkedIn’s values, which we have been striving to bring to life since the first day we opened our office in Dubai 11 years ago. An essential part of this effort is ensuring our parent employees feel supported to achieve success in both their home life and their office life. We continue to grant our employees flexibility and we trust them to do their work when and where they deem it best. We also continuously review and evolve our benefits based on our employees feedback and regional and global benchmarks. It gives us great pride that all our efforts are recogn
ised by this initiative, which in itself is a testament to the UAE’s efforts to create an environment where everyone can thrive.’
‘Tappy Toes Nursery provides education, care and support to children their families. We extend the same to our team members. Having a healthy, supportive and caring staff team is the result of every individual’s professional and personal needs being met, supported and motivated for better,’ said Foram Gohel, Principal at Tappy Toes Nursery.
Sophie Smith Founder CEO of Nabta Health said: ‘At NABTA, we are on a mission to empower women in the Middle East and Africa to effectively manage their health. This empowerment starts with us; with our women, and our families, here in the UAE. As a mother to four small children, all born since founding NABTA, I have witnessed first-hand the extraordinary things that can be achieved when organisations provide flexible, parent-friendly working options to their people. We are honoured to have been recognised by the ECA for our support of parents
, and look forward to contributing as part of the vibrant Parent-friendly community in the UAE and beyond.’
Through the implementation of the Parent-Friendly Label, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority is dedicated to empowering and supporting working parents, facilitating a harmonious work-family balance that enables them to deliver optimal care for their children. This initiative stands as a pioneering program at the national level in the UAE, acknowledging and honouring institutions across the semi-government, private, and third sectors. These recognized entities distinguish themselves through their notable progress, innovative approaches, and commitment to fostering a workplace culture that is supportive of parents. The emphasis on providing a nurturing work environment for parents aligns seamlessly with the evolving needs of the workforce and reflects one of the key priorities supported by the leadership of the UAE.
Source: Emirates News Agency