📣 Time for Transparency: Why Parental Leave Policies Need to Be Public 📣
- lansburyservices
- Oct 17, 2025
- 2 min read
Mumsnet is leading a crucial call for large employers (over 250 employees) to proactively publish their parental leave policies and pay.
What’s it all about?
This move is driven by the fact that 82% of parents and prospective parents feel reluctant to ask about these essential benefits during the hiring process. Mumsnet has asked all FTSE 250 companies to follow the lead of the 43 FTSE 100 firms already providing this transparency. This campaign, active since 2019, aims to remove a significant barrier for top talent, as Justine Roberts, Mumsnet Founder, notes: the best candidates won’t apply if they’re unsure they’ll be treated well when starting a family in the future.
What This Means for you?
In a competitive job market, this lack of transparency isn't just an administrative issue—it’s a talent retention and attraction challenge. Being vague about parental leave creates a perceived risk for potential employees, driving away valuable, family-minded professionals. The call for public policies aligns perfectly with the Government’s ongoing review of parental leave and pay, which runs alongside the new Employment Rights Bill. The direction of travel is clear: greater support and transparency for working families. Hiding policies suggests inadequacy, while publishing them clearly signals a progressive, family-friendly culture.
Our advice: The time to act is before legislation makes it mandatory.
Action 1: Employers should immediately review and audit their current parental leave and pay policies to ensure they are competitive and equitable.
Action 2: Critically, start making your policies publicly accessible on your career page and internal portals—don't wait for a mandate for large firms.
Action 3: Furthermore, prepare for upcoming legislative changes set for April 2026, which will remove the service requirement for both paternity leave and unpaid parental leave, making them 'day one' rights. Proactive transparency now is a cost-effective, powerful way to secure the best talent and future-proof your organisation's reputation.
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