Pan Macmillan – Winner 2025, Best for Mothers, sponsored by Umbrella HR
Pan Macmillan’s exceptional support recognises the diverse needs of each stage of motherhood. An impressively female leadership team and inclusive policies reflect their belief that supporting working parents is both the right thing to do, and a key driver of business success.
Family-friendly policies
A framework of policies is designed to support mothers at every phase, starting with time off for fertility treatment and six months of fully paid maternity leave. Parental leave policies recognise the need to be inclusive to promote gender equality, evidenced by equal leave entitlements for all parents regardless of gender or the pathway to parenthood. Mothers are entitled to full bonus payments during leave and can ease the transition back to work with a phased return using Keeping in Touch days and accrued leave. Flexible working is offered through a hybrid work model with core hours of 10am-4.30pm that allow women to work in the rhythm that suits them and their family, and the company’s Summer Fridays perk enables more flexibility and family time during the warmer months.
A holistic approach
Pan Macmillan appreciates the need to empower women to thrive as they enter motherhood, with external coaching on offer before, during, and after maternity leave, and mentoring from colleagues with maternity experience. Access to an app provides crucial information and resources on childcare, benefits and health in one place. Other supportive measures include dedicated breastfeeding facilities on-site and flexibility for nursery and school events, helping mothers reconcile work and caring responsibilities.
The importance of leadership
With a workforce that is 82% female, Pan Macmillan is aware of, and responsive to, the needs of women, and 9 of the 11 leadership team are female. The importance of the manager role is emphasised with mandatory training on effectively supporting pregnancy and maternity transitions. The upcoming 2025 management training program will further enhance support with dedicated modules on maternity transitions, diversity, and inclusion topics including menopause and fertility treatment.
The measure of success
Pan Macmillan’s approach has yielded remarkable results with a 100% retention rate for mothers at both one and two years after returning from maternity leave. Additionally, 12% of male employees now take enhanced family leave—a percentage that grows annually despite the organisation’s predominantly female workforce. Looking ahead, they plan to analyse their 2025 employee engagement survey to identify improvement opportunities, benchmark against industry best practices, and explore new initiatives including childcare provider partnerships and a dedicated parenting network, demonstrating their commitment to continuous improvement and creating a truly inclusive environment where parents can thrive both professionally and personally.
