It’s National Families Week and we’re recognising the employers who are officially certified as a Family Inclusive Workplace™.

 

Since 2021, more than 650 organisations have taken the first step toward being a family-friendly employer by benchmarking their workplace policies and practices in line with the Global Work + Family Standards.

 

Since then, the Family Friendly Workplaces certification initiative has grown internationally, with employers in Australia and the UK now eligible to certify.

 

“We welcome and celebrate the businesses that have joined us on the journey to a family-friendly future. At UNICEF Australia, we’ve seen how important quality connection time is for children and their parents and carers to thrive. It is encouraging to see Australian employers continuing to step in and commit to creating conditions to support their employees to balance responsibilities at work and home.

 

UNICEF Australia is committed to a family-friendly Australia, and the growing number of Family-friendly workplaces has an important role to play in fostering the wellbeing of working parents, carers, and their children.”– Nicole Breeze, Chief Advocate for Children at UNICEF, Australia.

 

Who’s Leading the Change?

 

The 2025 Australian insights highlight the progress of certified family-friendly employers with steady growth across industries, with high participation from Financial Services, Healthcare, Public Sector and Education.  Traditional male-dominated industries such as mining, construction and agriculture continue to be under-represented, highlighting that more is needed to encourage the adoption and promotion of family-friendly provisions.

 

Family-friendly workplace policies are essential for closing the gender pay gap and increasing the representation of women in senior leadership. They also play a crucial role in promoting family wellbeing and fostering broader workplace inclusion.

  

Certified Employer Trends in Australia

 

• 97% have introduced or enhanced a Domestic and Family Violence policy
• 48% have removed parental leave labels of primary and secondary carers 
• 1 in 5 employers have introduced grand-parental leave (mix of paid and unpaid)
• 14% now offer menstrual and/or menopause support
• 87% ensure flexible work options are clearly explained during hiring, helping to set expectations and build trust from the start
• 66% formally enable flexible work access from day one of employment
• 64% of certified organisations have a dedicated family mental health and wellbeing policy or framework
• A combined 85% of organisations assess productivity based on outcomes rather than presence, either “always” or “most of the time”, demonstrating a shift away from presenteeism.
• 43% of certified organisations have a dedicated internal advisory or support group for families and carers, such as a carers’ network or parenting ERG.

 

It’s not just about meeting policy benchmarks, it’s about changing workplace culture, one family-supportive decision at a time.

 

Trends to Watch

 

• Shift from compliance to culture: More organisations are embedding family-friendly policies just for ‘compliance’ reasons, but there’s a shift to promote a family-friendly culture to improve productivity and engagement.
• Social impact measurement matters: Increasing use of benchmark data and action plans to track progress and measure impact in alignment with their gender equality strategy.
• Equity-first language: 2025 saw a marked increase in employers using inclusive, non-gendered language across their parental leave and care policies
• Flexible Work remains competitive: embedding and promoting flexible work practices remains the family-friendly provision most employers are investing in.

 

Looking Ahead

 

As certification grows, so does the national conversation about what it means to be truly family-inclusive. With 145+ certified family-friendly employers in Australia and counting, and hundreds more using the benchmarking tool, we’re seeing a cultural shift ripple across Australian workplaces.

 

Employers are asking:

 

• What’s missing from our policies? What does best practice look like?
• How do we support all our people with broader work and family needs so they can thrive at work and home?
• How do we measure the real social impact of our support?

 

These questions and the answers they spark are all part of an important conversation on building a sustainable workforce of the future and make the Family Friendly Workplaces initiative a catalyst for long-term change.

 

Newly certified family-friendly employers like Minderoo Foundation and Sydney Water are leading by example, showing how values-driven leadership and practical support can transform the workplace experience for families.

 

“Being certified as a Family Inclusive Workplace reflects Minderoo’s commitment to supporting our people through every stage of life. We understand that flexibility matters and that our team carries a range of responsibilities, both at work and at home. This certification is one way we’re backing our team to do their most impactful work – and look after what matters most.” – Minderoo Foundation, CEO, John Hartman.

 

“Achieving Family Friendly Workplace Accreditation isn’t just a benchmark; it’s a strategic investment for Sydney Water. By fostering a supportive environment where work and family life harmonise, we enhance employee well-being, boost productivity, and strengthen our ability to attract and retain top talent in a competitive Sydney market.

 

This commitment reflects our core values and ensures a resilient, engaged workforce dedicated to delivering world-class water services to our community.” – Bec Costin, Manager, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Sydney Water.

 

Join the Movement

 

Whether you’re just starting your journey or are ready for certification, we invite you to explore how your organisation can take the next step to become a certified family-friendly employer.

 

“This National Families Week, we’re not just recognising certified employers, we’re celebrating a shift in how Australia sees work and care. These organisations are proving that supporting families is fundamental to building resilient, high-performing workplaces.

 

By embedding flexibility, equitable parental leave take-up, and normalising care-giving support as part of workplace culture, they’re creating environments where all employees can thrive at work and at home. Family Friendly Workplaces is more than a certification program, it’s a movement for change to bridge the work and family divide to improve equality, inclusion and wellbeing outcomes.” – Emma Walsh, Founder, Family Friendly Workplaces and CEO, Parents At Work.

 

Become a Certified Family Inclusive Workplace™

 

 

 

 

List of 2025 Certified Family Inclusive Workplaces™