ANZ launches six-week paid Gender Affirmation Leave

The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) has introduced a new six-week paid Gender Affirmation Leave - a move the company said underscores its commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace culture.

The leave may be used by staff when they need time to undergo gender-affirming processes, including:

• social affirmation (for example: adopting the dress and style of presentation that better aligns with their gender identity and expression, changing their pronouns and/or name)
• medical affirmation (for example: surgery, hormone therapy or both, medical appointments, rest, and recovery from medical procedures)
• legal affirmation (for example: legally changing their name and/or gender marker on personal identification documents such as passport, birth certificate, driver's license, or bank card)

"This is another example of ANZ's ongoing commitment to the LGBTIQ+ community and creating an inclusive culture where our people feel a sense of belonging and comfortable to be their authentic selves," said Fiona MacDonald, ANZ's Diversity and Inclusion lead, in a statement.

"The six weeks of paid leave means people who are affirming their gender do not need to exhaust their annual or sick leave entitlements, while also easing some of the financial pressures," she added.

Citing a research, MacDonald said the introduction of the new paid leave is "especially important" as trans and gender diverse people are "more likely to experience lower incomes and employment rates."

Read more: ANZ adopts gender-neutral dress code

ANZ said that it employs more than 40,000 staff across the world, with its LGBTIQ+ employee resource network ANZ Pride, made up of more than 2,000 LGBTIQ+ staff and allies across 15 countries.

According to the organisation, it has long advocated the rights of its LGBTIQ+ staff and customers across geographies in terms of policy and process changes, inclusive system updates, education and awareness, as well as community engagement.

ANZ is also a signatory to the United Nations Standards of Conduct for Business Tackling Discrimination against LGBTI People, which is a set of global standards to support the business community while they address discrimination against lesbian, gay, bi, trans and intersex people.

As per the website of the United Nations Human Rights Office, the five standards include:

1. RESPECT the human rights of their LGBTI workers, customers and members of the public
2. ELIMINATE workplace discrimination against LGBTI employees
3. SUPPORT LGBTI staff at work
4. PREVENT discrimination and related abuses against LGBTI customers, suppliers and distributors—and insist that business partners do the same
5. STAND UP for the human rights of LGBTI people in the communities where they do business