In Parliament, the Newbury MP, Laura Farris, hosted an event with Vodafone on women in work. Vodafone consistently ranks as one of the best employers for women in the UK and has been a fantastic supporter to Laura in her work as Co-Chair of the Women & Work APPG, a position she held alongside Labour MP Jess Phillips.
The event focused on the recruitment, retention and development of women in the workplace and featured speeches from Ms Farris, Jess Phillips MP, Nicki Lyons, from Vodafone UK, Employment Minister Mims Davies MP and Sonya Barlow, Founder of the LMF NETWORK, a global project dedicated to helping women into business. During her speech, Ms Farris recognised the specific obstacles women face in relation to pregnancy and maternity leave, caring for young children and older relatives, and the impact this has on work, pay and progression.
Vodafone has consistently championed issues such as flexible working, adjusted hours, generous parental leave packages that are as focused on the father as the mother of the child, with an aim to retaining their female talent and enabling them to develop and progress in the future. Last year, they also launched their internal Domestic Abuse Policy, which provides enhanced support for employees experiencing domestic abuse and their ‘ReConnect Programme’, which launched in 2018, continues to support women that have taken a career break to re-enter the world of work. This year, Vodafone was once again recognised in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women list.
Laura has campaigned on issues specific to female employment - including pay and pension equality, flexible working and better childcare - since she was elected for Newbury in 2019.
Following the event, Laura said:
“I could not be more delighted to have hosted Vodafone’s event in Parliament this week. I am proud that one of the principal employers in my constituency shares my values about female employment and the value and necessity of supporting their retention in the workplace.
"Together with my friends and colleagues Jess Phillips MP and Mims Davies MP, the event was an important opportunity to meet women from many walks of life and professions and discuss the practices and policies that support their advancement – both in the workplace and in law.”
Adding, Nicki Lyons, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director, Vodafone UK, said:
“We were delighted to have Laura host today's event supporting talented women. At Vodafone, supporting women at all stages in their career is something we take incredibly seriously. We're grateful to have such a knowledgeable advocate for women in the workplace as our Newbury MP.”