Olam Agri, a global agribusiness company, has marked International Women’s Day with the installation of new lactation pods across its business locations in Ghana. This initiative forms part of the company’s workforce nutrition goal – to ensure that by 2030 all its employees have access to nutrition programmes.
The initiative, in collaboration with the company’s women’s network GROW (Globally Reaching Olam Women), is introducing self-contained units to provide clean, comfortable and private milieus to help working mothers express and safely keep breastmilk for their babies while at work.
The initiative’s first phase was unveilled at the company’s grains factory at Kpone on March 8, 2022, during GROW’s annual conference for female employees within the organisation.
Members of GROW cited the lactation pods’ launch as proof that the company recognises the importance of providing a safe and comfortable space for nursing mothers to express breastmilk for their babies.
“Supporting new mothers in the workplace is an important step toward creating a supportive work environment. Providing lactation pods can make it easier and more comfortable for working mothers to continue expressing breastmilk while at work, which can have considerable benefits for both the mother and her baby. We believe that by providing the necessary tools and support, employees will be able to thrive at work,” said Stephen Takyi Adeakye, head of HR for Olam Agri in Ghana.
In celebration of International Women’s Day 2023, the team in Ghana organised an interactive health forum in which medical experts and professionals engaged working mothers on the importance of good nutrition for babies. This was followed by an inspiring fireside chat with popular broadcast journalist Portia Gabor, on her personal experience of achieving a work-life balance as a young mother while pursuing a successful career.
The lactation pods are among several initiatives implemented by Olam Agri in Ghana to support female employees. These initiatives include extending the maternal-leave policy to 4 months for female employees, launching the ‘Sparkle your Career Confidence’ initiative that inspires young female employees to aspire for great heights within the organisation, as well as special mentorship programmes for female employees and a comprehensive wellness programme that includes the provision of free PAP tests for women to help in the fight against cervical cancer.
GROW is a voluntary association of female employees whose core mission is to increase female involvement and promote inclusiveness within the organisation. Since its establishment in 2018, the group has been instrumental in increasing female engagement through various developmental initiatives aimed at promoting an all-inclusive working environment for all employees.
