Lion has announced several updates to its existing inclusion and diversity framework, intended to improve support measures in a way that better reflects its workforce and their needs.
As part of the update, the company has added new types of paid leave options for staff, as well as new people policies.
Lion’s People and Culture Director, Alicia Purtell, said the business is focused on continuous improvement in these types of spaces, and this is what spurred the updates.
“We can’t afford to simply set and forget when it comes to these policies. That is why we have taken the opportunity to look holistically at the support we provide our people in addition to our Families@Lion policy and identified a number of areas in which we can bolster our commitment to inclusion and diversity,” Purtell said.
“It is absolutely vital that we recognise that having a genuinely inclusive culture depends on us considering the needs of our people from all different perspectives – whether that is their gender, sexuality, culture, religion, or family situation.”
One of the changes made in this update is within Lion’s family policy, Families@Lion, which will now include 12 weeks of paid leave for those who experience the devastating loss of a child by stillbirth, and also 10 days of paid leave for women who suffer miscarriages.
The Families@Lion policy update comes after Lion was announced as a family friendly workplace, the first major brewer to receive this recognition in Australia.
Another change to the framework is an additional three days of bereavement leave made available for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Maori and Pasifika team members, alongside an updated definition of family to include the concept of kinship. Lion said these amendments were important to recognise the definition of family can be more extensive for First Nations and Clan groups.
Lion has also announced it will introduce 10 days of paid leave for victims and their family members who have experienced domestic or family violence.
Finally, 10 days of paid leave will also be offered for gender affirmation under the updated policies.