This year’s Parental Fog Index has found that only 23% of employers named in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers clearly communicate their support for working parents and carers.
More than a third show no visible commitment to family support, and over half provide insufficient information for candidates and employees to understand what support is available.
The Parental Fog Index, published by Working Families and The Executive Coaching Consultancy, assesses how transparent employers are when it comes to advertising their family friendly policies. This includes areas such as parental leave, as well as those that reflect recent changes in legislation, workforce demographics and expectations around modern caring responsibilities, including;
- equal parenting
- neonatal care
- elder care
For the first time, it also looks for evidence that policies are used in practice, not just listed.
As a result, many employers have fallen back in the rankings. Few publish data or indicators showing whether family-support policies are actively taken up, creating a gap between employers intent and what employees can actually see.
A small number of organisations stand out for providing clear, consistent and credible information. In 2026, just nine employers are rated as Beacon organisations:
| Deloitte | PwC | Civil Service |
| Natwest Group | NHS | KPMG |
| Teach First | UBS | Clyde & Co |
We are pleased to see Deloitte, a founding partner of the Family Friendly Workplaces Certification, Clyde & Co. and KPMG, both Working Families employer members, recognised among the 2026 Parental Fog Index Beacon employers.
We also work closely with a number of NHS Trusts and Civil Service departments, who are recognised on the list. Their inclusion reflects a consistent commitment to making support for working parents and carers clear, visible and credible.
Read the full report to see the methodology, rankings and detailed analysis.
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Briefing: Parental Fog Index launch
Join Working Families and the Executive Coaching Consultancy, for an in‑depth discussion on what the latest Parental Fog Index shows about employer transparency, family‑friendly working, and the changing expectations of today’s workforce.