Bank of Ireland has announced enhanced family leave policies and supports for 9,000 staff across the group, including seven weeks top-up leave for parents in the first two years who are working in the Republic of Ireland.

The bank's Family Matters initiative launches across Ireland, the UK, the EU and the US on Wednesday, with a number of benefits designed to "create a more supportive and inclusive environment" for staff at different life stages.

The new benefits include: 13 weeks' paid leave for partners, when coupled with paternity leave enhancements adopted last year; provisions for foster care leave; ten days' leave for staff undergoing fertility treatments; formalised surrogacy leave to match adoptive leave entitlements; early pregnancy leave for the loss of a baby under 24 weeks' gestation; and extended breastfeeding breaks.

In the UK, parents can get seven weeks top-up of shared parental leave in the first year rather than the first two years, as in Ireland, dues to legislative differences. All measures will be applied in line with local legislation.

Staff will be able to use the announced benefits from the first day of employment with Bank of Ireland, and the company has also published a handbook illustrating all the available supports and benefits.

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"As one of the largest employers in Ireland, we want to build a progressive workplace and contribute to a progressive society," said Myles O'Grady, group CEO of Bank of Ireland.

"This is also important for our business which competes hard to attract and retain the talent we need to serve our customers, support growing businesses, and also grow as a company.

“We constantly challenge ourselves to foster a work environment where colleagues are treated with fairness and flexibility. There is no one-size-fits-all for families, so our people policies aim to support a range of scenarios, including when colleagues face very challenging circumstances."

O'Grady added that the Family Matters policies is the culmination of a number of policy decisions implemented by the bank in recent years, and that the policies would have "a positive impact on both the personal and financial wellbeing" of staff.

Bank of Ireland reviewed all existing HR policies to "identify new benefits which would best support colleagues" while developing Family Matters.

The lender last year introduced policies around menopause leave, improved paternity leave, and domestic abuse.

Photo: Myles O'Grady (right). (Pic: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)