20-week paternity and adoption leaves will be available to Standard Chartered employees worldwide.

As part of its inclusion effort, the Standard Chartered Bank announced on Wednesday that all of its workers would be granted a 20-week paternity and adoption leave. According to PTI, the British international bank said in the statement that the leave would be provided regardless of gender, marital status, or how a kid becomes a permanent member of an employee’s family.

The new HR regulation will take effect on September 1. This change is a result of the bank’s dedication to fostering an inclusive culture in which workers are encouraged to balance their personal and professional lives.

Shivshanker SV, the head of Standard Chartered’s India and South Asia operations, said that the company believes that advantages like this assist address social conventions around conventional roles that are widespread across the world, increase workforce participation, and provide individuals who wish to take on shared childcare duties choices. He said that this action would improve families’ financial security and foster an inclusive workplace.

According to the statement, maternity benefits in India would continue to start at 26 weeks, as required by law.

Tanuj Kapilashrami, group director of human resources, noted that this policy would improve families’ financial security and foster a more welcoming workplace that respects each person’s individual family planning preferences.

In India, Standard Chartered Bank has a network of 100 branches in 42 locations, providing consumer, private, and business banking as well as corporate, commercial, and institutional banking. After the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), it is the second-oldest foreign bank operating in India, and it employs around 83,000 people worldwide. About 30,000 of them, including 20,000 men, work for companies in India.

Fathers who work in all sectors, including the private and unorganized, are entitled to paternity leave under the Paternity Benefit Bill of 2017. Fathers will get 15 days of fully paid leave, out of which they may use up to seven days before the due date of the pregnancy. Three months from the delivery date of the kid may be used for the leave.