Canada Life has unveiled enhanced parental and family friendly policies for colleagues within the UK and Isle of Man.

From 1 January 2025, Canada Life colleagues will be eligible for 26 weeks of paid maternity leave or 16 weeks of paid paternity leave, including adoptive parents and the parents of children born through surrogacy. In addition, colleagues undergoing fertility treatment and their partners will be offered the opportunity to take an additional ten days of paid leave a year.

Canada Life is also introducing additional support for colleagues who have recently experienced pregnancy loss, offering paid time off to both parents during this difficult time.

The enhanced parental and family friendly policies will be available to Canada Life colleagues from their first day in role.

Lindsey Rix-Broom, chief executive of Canada Life UK, said: “We care deeply about supporting our colleagues, not just at work but during the milestones and challenges they encounter throughout their lives. These enhancements reinforce our efforts to build a workplace that focuses on the needs of our people, and align with our wider ambition to ensure our colleagues flourish at Canada Life whilst balancing work and family life.

“Each individual will have a unique experience and journey, and we know that the interactions you have at work can be pivotal. We engaged closely with colleagues as part of this process to understand how Canada Life can support them, and these policies reflect our focus on prioritising the wellbeing of our people during the times when they need it most.”