Suncorp New Zealand introduces new leave for those undergoing gender affirmation
21 March 2023
Suncorp New Zealand has announced it will provide new leave entitlements to support employees wanting to affirm their gender identity.
The company is offering six weeks of paid Gender Affirmation Leave and up to 12 months of unpaid leave, giving employees the financial and time support necessary to undergo the steps they need to affirm their gender.
The gender affirming process is different for everyone, and can include telling friends and colleagues about the change, legally changing names and/or gender markers on identification documents, and/or undergoing surgery and hormone therapy.
Suncorp New Zealand Executive General Manager for People and Culture, Catherine Dixon, says the insurer is working to create an environment where any employee on a journey to affirm their gender knows the organisation is looking to support them throughout this process.
“Providing this leave entitlement is the best way that we can offer support with what is often a complex process for people which can involve a variety of different steps over a period of time.
"We want our people who are working towards affirming their gender to be able to take time to go to appointments, speak with their family if they need to, and to have the space they need to get to where they want to be in their gender affirmation journey.
“In addition to this, we know that transgender and non-binary people face a raft of different societal challenges in comparison to cis-gendered populations, making it more important that we ensure that these employees don’t feel like they have to leave their jobs in order to have the time to undertake these changes.”
Scott Jensen, the New Zealand lead for Suncorp’s LGBTIQ+ focused employee resource group, Amplify, says this new leave entitlement is a reflection of the positive steps the organisation is taking to acknowledge and celebrate diversity among its employees.
“I’m really hopeful that this new leave entitlement will make people more comfortable sharing their true selves with their colleagues.
“The more work the business does to support LGBTIQ+ employees in this way, the more we are able to continue to attract a diverse range of talent, reflective of the all the communities we see outside of the office.”
More information on Suncorp's announcement and its commitment to diversity can be found on the Suncorp Group website – Six weeks of paid Gender Affirmation Leave introduced at Suncorp | Suncorp Group | Suncorp Group.
Media enquiries: Kimberley Cameron +64 27 208 1268
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