Citi launches programme to retain female staff post-maternity

Citi’s Asia Pacific markets and securities services (MSS) business today announced the launch of the Maternity Matters programme, aimed at retaining more female employees post-maternity across its business.

In a media statement, Citi revealed that the programme has already started in Hong Kong and Singapore and is planned to further roll out across the region in 2018.

Citi Maternity Matters aims to support MSS employees during and after their maternity leave and complement the existing infrastructure in place to support working mothers at Citi already across the bank’s Asia Pacific network.

At launch events in Singapore and Hong Kong, managers from various MSS businesses had the opportunity to learn about the new framework. These included:

• The clear business case for diversity and female talent including an extension from 10 to 14 weeks for maternity leave in Hong Kong and flexible working options for returning mums.
• The manager's role and how best they can support their employees during and after maternity and ensure a successful transition back to work and managing the work/life balance with increased flexible working options.
• More detailed and updated policy information across the 17 markets Citi operates across Asia Pacific.
• Manager and employee toolkits - a one stop shop for all information relating to policies, support Citi will provide during pregnancy, maternity leave and on the employees return to work.
• Maternity coaching and a buddy programme to support employees both during and after maternity.

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The workshop was designed with the help of Citi's diversity team in partnership with human resources as a result of a taskforce led by Asia Pacific head of corporate equity derivatives, Sue Lee.

Having managed a successful career in Citi along with having children, Lee strongly believes better support can help ensure mothers with young children are retained and continue to be developed at Citi.

"Post maternity is a challenging period for new parents, and statistics show that this period coincides with high female attrition across some markets in the markets and securities services business. Often this is driven by concern about returning and managing the life/work balance rather than by a real desire to quit or the long term. Our Maternity Matters programme aims to address key concerns of women going on and returning from maternity - so that we may support and retain female talent at Citi for the longer term," said Lee.

Julia Raiskin, head of investor services, markets and securities services, Asia Pacific, added: "Research and experience both confirm that when a company embraces diversity, the most talented people are not just attracted to joining the company, but are also much more productive and motivated to stay. Maintaining a truly diverse environment has been proven to be a leading indicator of the quality of our culture in addition to being an effective way of connecting to an equally diverse client base."

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