At Celfocus, we're committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive both professionally and personally. From celebrating new beginnings to promoting flexibility, equal opportunities, and family-focused experiences, we believe supporting parenthood is an essential part of building a truly people-centric culture.

Today, we're taking a closer look at some of the initiatives already in place, as well as others under consideration, that reflect our commitment to supporting parents and caregivers across different stages of their journey.

At Celfocus, parenthood should never be a barrier to growth.

We are committed to ensuring that career progression opportunities remain accessible throughout maternity and parental leave. Promotions during maternity leave are a reality at Celfocus because we believe that talent, performance, and potential do not pause when someone takes time to care for their family.

We are equally committed to fairness in our recognition programmes. Maternity and parental leave periods are not considered absences when calculating attendance-based annual awards, ensuring that parents are not disadvantaged for taking time to care for their children.

Alongside these initiatives, we remain committed to ensuring that our people can fully benefit from the parental rights, leave arrangements, and protections provided under local legislation.

Every new arrival deserves to be celebrated.

Through our New Parents Kit, we acknowledge and celebrate this special moment of welcoming a new family member. More than a gift, it's a meaningful gesture that reflects our commitment to recognizing the moments that matter most in our people's lives.

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Family life doesn't always fit into a schedule, which is why flexibility matters.

Our hybrid work model, with two days per week required in the office, gives our people greater freedom to balance work and family commitments. Whether it's managing school schedules, attending appointments, or simply being present for important family moments, flexibility helps create a healthier and more sustainable work-life balance.

This approach is built on trust and a results-driven mindset. Rather than focusing on where work gets done or the number of hours spent at a desk, we focus on outcomes, impact, and delivering on commitments.  

We're also committed to creating workplaces that support different needs.

In Porto, we’ve created the first Quiet Room, providing a private and comfortable space for expectant and new mothers - whether for rest during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or simply taking a moment to recharge. We continue to explore the offices in our other geographies to make this a transversal benefit.

Benefits for everyday responsibilities.

To help support our people throughout this journey, we provide access to a range of benefits designed with families in mind. From health and wellbeing support to everyday savings and education-related benefits.

Family members can be included in our health insurance plan, helping ensure access to healthcare and making the most of our compensation.  

Using the MyDiscounts, our people can access exclusive offers across a variety of family-related products and services such as back-to-school essentials, schools, children's transport, clothing, or fun family activities such as Warner Bros Park, Isla Mágica, Oceanário de Lisboa, Zoomarine, SEA LIFE, Bioparc, Dino Experience, and many more.

Additionally, eTicket Services is a platform that permits fixed monthly or annual allowances to be credited to the benefits account, to cover pre-school education expenses for their children and dependents.  

Supporting parenthood goes beyond the workplace.

Our annual Children's Day celebration creates an opportunity for children to experience Celfocus firsthand through a programme that combines learning, creativity, and fun. Through engaging activities, children are invited to explore technology, innovation, creativity, and collaboration in a fun and interactive way.

We also strengthen this connection through Technovation Girls, a global programme that empowers girls to develop technological and entrepreneurship skills. As part of our participation, we invite the daughters of our colleagues to join the initiative, inspiring future innovators while bringing families closer to Celfocus.

The initiative creates memorable experiences for our people and their families while offering children a unique glimpse into their parents’ workplace.

Supporting parents is about more than policies and benefits. It's about creating a culture where mothers, fathers, and caregivers feel empowered to embrace family responsibilities while continuing to grow professionally.

As part of our continuous efforts to improve the experience of parents and caregivers, The Acting with a Purpose team has committed, through this year's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Plan, to reinforcing our focus on supporting parents returning to work after maternity /paternity leave and helping ensure a smooth and positive transition back into the workplace.

If you'd like to join the discussion and contribute with new ideas reach out to the team.

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This article is brought to you by the Diversity & Inclusion team.