More than 30 years ago, our founder, Dave Thomas, led an initiative advocating for adoption benefits in the workplace, because to him, it was just “the right thing to do.” The Foundation has carried that legacy forward through the Adoption-Friendly Workplace program and our annual Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace survey.
Each year, the Foundation highlights organizations with the most robust adoption benefits programs. These organizations span a wide range of industries, but all are committed to making adoption a supported option for every working parent.
Leaders of some of the organizations recognized as 2022 Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces and Adoption Advocates offered their thoughts to inspire others:
Ferring Pharmaceuticals
“Our mission at Ferring Pharmaceuticals is to build families. We understand there are many paths to parenthood, including adoption, and are proud to support our employees on their individual journey through inclusive family-building benefits.” — Purvi Tailor, VP Human Resources
Hilton Grand Vacations
“Supporting our team members build their families through adoption supports our mission of Putting People First. At Hitlon Grand Vacations, team members are the heart of what we do, and we are thrilled to offer a robust benefits program, including: adoption assistance, a comprehensive parental leave program, and competitive benefits that begin on the team member’s first day.” — Pablo Brizi, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer & Corporate Affairs
Jockey International
“We work very hard to make sure that families receive the necessary support they need to help them throughout their adoption process. Adoption is not an event, but a lifelong journey and we are passionate about providing our employees with the resources they need to start that journey the best way they can.” — Debra S. Waller, Chairman and CEO
Ketchum
“At Ketchum, we support all paths to parenthood and champion our colleagues’ happiness as they grow their families regardless of how they choose to do so, including adoption, fostering and surrogacy. Earlier this year, we also enhanced our parental leave policy to allow ten weeks of fully paid bonding time to help parents create meaningful moments during this critical life milestone.” — Jim Joseph, CEO, U.S., and Global Chief Marketing and Integration Officer
New York Life
“For more than 178 years, New York Life’s commitment to be there for families when we’re needed extends to our workforce including those who turn to adoption to achieve their dream of having a family. Our Adoption Assistance Program illustrates that helping others is more than our business, it’s part of our culture and supports the work life integration and financial assistance our workforce requires when welcoming an adopted child into their lives.” — Joanne Rodgers, Senior Vice President & Head of Human Resources
Protiviti
“Our working parents are a tremendously important part of our employee team, and our programs and policies are designed very much with their needs in mind. We’re proud to offer inclusive benefits to all our parent employees, including gender-neutral paid parental leave, childcare and education support, a parents’ employee networking group, and a flexible work environment, in addition to adoption assistance for those who need it.” — Jennifer Tomer, Senior Director of Total Rewards
SAFY
“We know it is the children and families who benefit most from companies and organizations that assist employees who are adopting and fostering to adopt. As more and more families grow from adoption, it is important to be part of the support system that lights their way toward a bright future. For the adoptive parents, financial support can be an important assist for the family. Additionally, having time off to bond with their child is equally critical. And for SAFY, these benefits are one of the ways we build a strong, empathetic workforce.” — Will Matt, President and Chief Executive Officer
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption celebrates organizations that are raising the bar with their adoption and foster care benefits.
Visit davethomasfoundation.org/afw to learn more and access resources to support the journey to becoming an adoption-friendly workplace.
