Annual survey of employers reveals increased investment in adoption benefits
Columbus, Ohio — The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption today released its annual Best Adoption-Friendly WorkplacesTM list recognizing organizations with the most robust adoption benefit programs. The Foundation partnered with RTI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute, to survey employers across the United States and score participants based on three criteria: financial reimbursement, paid leave and the percentage of employees eligible for those benefits.
More than 25 years ago, Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s® and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, led an initiative advocating for better adoption benefits in the workplace. The Foundation has carried that legacy forward through its signature Adoption-Friendly Workplace program and 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list, which is in its 15th year.
The 2021 list includes a diverse group of organizations representing 22 industries. On average, employers that completed the survey offer $10,961 in financial reimbursement, which is up 7.9% from 2020. The average amount of paid leave is 7.69 weeks, holding steady from last year’s average.
“Thank you to all the organizations on this year’s list for the commitment to supporting employees who grow their families through adoption and congratulations to NVIDIA, ” said Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “Adoption expenses or the inability to take time off of work to bond with a foster or adoptive child should not stand in the way of a family pursuing adoption. It is our hope that robust adoption benefits, like those offered by several of this year’s survey participants, will soon become the norm.”
NVIDIA tops the 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list for the fourth year in a row. The Santa Clara, CA-based artificial intelligence company offers all full- and part-time employees unlimited financial aid to cover the cost of an adoption. NVIDIA also provides up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave to women and men welcoming an adopted child into their home.
“We are committed to empowering our employees to do their life’s work here at NVIDIA, and that vision drives us to create strong programs to support their families,” said Colette Kress, EVP and CFO, NVIDIA. “We are honored by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s recognition of NVIDIA. But more important still, we are delighted to see that our programs have transformed lives.”
The Foundation also ranks employers by size, industry, paid leave, foster care benefits and impact. The impact list recognizes organizations who employ more than 1,000 people and that provide the largest overall financial benefits for adoption to the largest number of employees.
The five organizations on this year’s list that offer the most robust adoption benefits include NVIDIA, American Express, Snap, Inc., S&P Global Inc and Bloomberg.
The Wendy’s Company has been designated with Forever Family emeritus status after holding the top spot on the 100 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list for many years. The company continues its commitment to adoption by providing strong adoption benefits to employees.
“Wendy’s believes every child in foster care deserves a forever family and that’s why we remain steadfast in our partnership with the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption,” said Todd Penegor, President & CEO of The Wendy’s Company and member of the Foundation’s board of trustees. “A critical part of the adoption process is the recognition that it takes time and resources to complete an adoption, and when employers offer employee adoption benefits, it sends a strong, supportive message while making a piece of the overall process easier for those opening their hearts and homes. As the holder of Forever Family Emeritus status, Wendy’s is pleased to congratulate NVIDIA, who is again at the top of the Foundation’s Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list, along with American Express and Snap, Inc. for their leadership. Above all, Wendy’s celebrates all companies that support the importance of adoption benefits for employees.”
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, which does not participate in the survey, also offers its employees robust adoption and foster care benefits.
View the complete 2021 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces list and other adoption resources for employers at davethomasfoundation.org/AFW.
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About the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit public charity dedicated exclusively to finding permanent homes for the more than 150,000 children waiting in North America’s foster care systems. Created by Wendy’s® founder Dave Thomas who was adopted, the Foundation implements evidence-based, results-driven national service programs, foster care adoption awareness campaigns and innovative grantmaking. To learn more, visit davethomasfoundation.org.
