"A quality mark for a supportive work environment for parents" It continues to receive applications for participation in its fourth session

Abu Dhabi, June 3, 2020 – The Quality Mark Program for a Supportive Work Environment for Parents continues to receive applications for participation in its fourth session until July 31, 2026, with 60 days remaining until the closing of applications, for institutions operating in the semi-governmental, private and third sectors across the UAE, as an opportunity for institutions to consolidate their leadership and join the leading entities in supporting parents in the work environment.

The volunteer program aims to encourage institutions to adopt the best practices in building supportive work environments for working parents, and to honor pioneering institutions in implementing these practices, which contributes to establishing supportive and comprehensive work environments whose impact is reflected positively on working parents, children, society and the national economy as a whole.

The fourth session is of exceptional importance thanks to the partnership with the Ministry of Family, which is cooperating with the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority to implement the pilot phase of expanding the program in government institutions for the first time.

This step coincides with the declaration of 2026 as the Year of the Family in the UAE, and in an effort to consolidate the culture of a family-friendly work environment across the country, in addition to striving to improve the program’s framework to become a global standard in this field.

In this context, the program urges institutions that obtained the mark in previous cycles to re-apply, renew their acquisition of the mark or improve their policies and work practices and advance to obtain the Quality Mark for a Parent-Supportive Work Environment Plus, which reflects the institutions’ commitment to or exceeding international standards.

The program honors organizations that adopt supportive and inclusive work environments for working parents, through the effective implementation of policies that include flexible work arrangements for working parents, taking into account the needs of families, welcoming new mothers and fathers back to work, and promoting paternity leave, in addition to a package of other policies and practices that support the family.

The program evaluates participants according to an integrated structure based on global research and precise standards, and includes parental leave, flexible work patterns, family care, family well-being, and institutional culture, with a focus on innovation as a pivotal value that encourages institutions to provide practical solutions that go beyond traditional standards.

Since its launch in 2021, the program has succeeded in achieving a positive impact on the lives of more than one million employees around the world, including more than 311,000 employees in the UAE working in 25 sectors.

According to the program’s second impact report, “Thriving through Competence: How Parent-Supporting Policies Promote Balance, Growth, and Global Competitiveness,” policies that support parents in the work environment contribute significantly to improving employee retention rates, raising levels of wellness, and increasing productivity. 71% of working parents confirmed that the support they receive in their organizations improves their daily productivity.

Organizations operating in the UAE can review the eligibility criteria, learn about the program details through the applicant guide, and then submit the application through the link parentfriendlylabel.ae/en/how-to-apply.

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