Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Limited (SCBNL) announces ‘Enhanced Parental Leave Benefits’ for its employees

Kathmandu: Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Limited (SCBNL) has announced ‘Enhanced Parental Leave Benefits’ for its employees.

SCBNL announced the program as part of its commitment to fostering an equitable and inclusive
culture. Starting December 2023, parents (Bank’s staff) are now eligible to avail a minimum of 20 weeks i.e., one hundred and forty calendar days (140 calendar days) of paid Parental Leave – irrespective of gender, relationship status, or how a child comes to permanently join a family (i.e., adoption).

SCBNL is the first bank in the country to introduce such benefits for all its employees, aimed at
levelling the playing field by allowing them the ability to partake equally in caregiving
responsibilities for their children. Accordingly, maternity, paternity, and adoption leave benefits
(jointly referred to as ‘Parental Leave’) will be 140 calendar days.

‘Welcoming a child into a family is a momentous occasion and the Bank wants to
support colleagues through this key life event so that they can effectively balance both personal
and professional priorities, ‘Rajan Udas, Head of Human Resources at Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Limited (SCBNL) said,’We believe benefits such as this help address prevalent societal norms
around traditional roles, improve workforce participation, and provide options to those who want
to take up shared childcare responsibilities. This will positively impact families’ financial wellbeing
and create a more inclusive workplace that supports everyone’s family planning choices.’

SCBNL is a leading international banking group, with a presence in 52 of the world’s most dynamic
markets and serving clients in a further 64. Its purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity
through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise,
here for good.

Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.
The Bank enjoys the status of the only international bank currently operating in Nepal. It is also
the only bank in Nepal accredited with the ICRANP-IR AAA rating by ICRA Nepal as the safest
bank with regards to timely servicing of financial obligations, for the fourth year in a row.