Target Group
Academic staff
Initiative Theme
Accommodating caring responsibilities
Career breaks
Flexible working
Retention
Targeted to women/men
Work/Life balance
Initiative institution
Institute of Cancer Research
Application type
Athena Swan Initiative
Publication date
The ICR actively promotes the availability of paternity leave and shared parental leave to staff. As a result, the numbers of men taking leave appear to have increased; the proportion of female researchers who return to work after maternity leave has increased significantly. Furthermore, analysis of leaver questionnaires from 2012 to date has shown that women do not identify ‘lack of support with maternity’ or ‘problems returning to work’ as reasons for not returning. Of women who took maternity leave between 2012 and 2015, 80% returned to work – up from 60% in 2011-12. In the 2015/16 period, there was a 100% return rate to date. This increase reflects the impact of the family-friendly initiatives implemented.