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New Parental Leave Policy Supports All Families

January 6, 2020

Banks Holdings Limited (“BHL”) is pleased to announce that its revised parental leave policy has shown tremendous success since its implementation. The updated policy now supports all employees who become parents, whether the child is welcomed by birth, adoption or surrogacy. There are also special provisions made for couples in LGBTQ relationships. 

The policy, which came into effect on June 1, 2018, states that all primary caregivers (regardless of gender) are entitled to 16 weeks of time off at 100% pay, while secondary caregivers are entitled to two weeks of time off at 100% pay. Previously, BHL’s maternity leave policy granted mothers leave for 12 weeks, while the paternity leave policy allowed fathers five days of paid leave.  

Group People Manager, BHL, Lisa Ridley-Paul said the changes show BHL’s commitment to inclusion and diversity within the workplace. “We live in a world where dynamics are constantly changing, and we’re adapting to the changes we see all around us. We are proud to introduce a gender-neutral policy that includes all family dynamics and recognizes instances where fathers may be the primary caregiver, allowing them to receive up to 16 weeks paid paternity leave.”

BHL employee, Wendell Scantlebury, was one of the first fathers to benefit from the revised policy. He said the additional parental leave was a welcome change following the birth of his son. “It was fantastic for me to be able to spend those first critical weeks with my family. This support reduced the pressure on us at a very critical time,” he said.

The policy exceeds the local requirement of 12 weeks of maternity leave under Barbados’ laws and aligns BHL with the policies of its parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev. 


Group People Manager, BHL, Lisa Ridley-Paul