Supporting Rainbow Families in Organizations

Wave the pride flag with integrity, by pro-actively acting and taking a stand to support rainbow families. 

Dutch law restricts legal parenthood to just two individuals per child, which affects rainbow families and those with non-conventional family structures. Despite a comprehensive report by the Dutch State Committee in 2016 advocating for the legal recognition of families with more than two parents, the Netherlands has yet to enact any changes.

Organizations play a pivotal role in filling this gap of support from the government by implementing internal policies that provide equal parental leave, and recognizing all parents, irrespective of family structure, gender, or sexual orientation.

In Deloitte’s recent online broadcast, we discussed this issue with Sara Coster (Foundation ‘Meer dan Gewenst’), Anne Verrips (Deloitte Netherlands) and Yuli Kim (Workplace Pride). The session was hosted by Jason Jie (Deloitte Netherlands). Together, we explored:
  • The importance of providing equitable parental leave for rainbow families
  • Deloitte's journey in implementing this policy across the organization including practical tips for other organizations
  • Personal anecdotes showcasing the impact of this employee benefit on individual lives within our community
deloitte-nl-dei-broadcast-picture.jpg

Key takeaways:
  • Many organizations are unaware of the gaps in Dutch law in ensuring all organizations provide equal parental leave rights for multi-parent families and the negative consequences that this can have on society
  • The legal consequences not only affect rainbow families, but also those expanding their families via surrogacy or adoption
  • Organizations can easily create inclusive policies by expanding their already existing employee benefits
  • Language matters: it is important that people can recognize their individual situations within the policies
  • Consider the perspective of the child: they deserve attention from and time to bond with all of their parents
  • If your organization is waving a Pride flag this June: raise the question if they also support ALL families
Practical tips to ensure inclusive policies
  • Keep it simple. Expand your existing policies rather than creating new ones
  • Be specific. Update the language by using precise and detailed wording and examples, such as:
    • Replacing the use of words such as "father" or "mother" with "parents" or "caregivers"
    • Clearly state the family structures that are acknowledged, such as specifying leave for birth parents and for those providing care.
  • Don’t be too strict. Include a section in your parental leave policies that allows flexibility for cases that don't fit the provided examples, and make it clear to employees that they can come to you to discuss their individual needs.
  • Be open to feedback. Listen to the experiences of your own employees, utilize the knowledge of other organizations, and don’t be afraid to make a misstep.
Resources

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