Co-operative Bank of Kenya has set up 76 milk expression rooms spread across different branches in the race to improve the welfare of female employees.
The lender says 69 of the lactation rooms are distributed across 69 branches while seven are at its head office, Co-operative House along Haile Selassie Avenue.
The stations are part of the lender’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) drive that focuses on looking beyond just financial performance.
The bank says in the latest ESG report that it closed last year with 61 dedicated lactation rooms to offer a comfortable and private space for nursing employees. The lender said in a response to our queries that it has this year added 15 stations while five more are currently being worked on.
“The intention is to have such rooms in all our branches as we secure space for them. We started in 2019 with the first one in Co-op House. The bank continues to implement various other measures to empower women in the organisation,” said the lender.
The rooms offer services such as allowing breastfeeding employees to express breast milk while at work. They are also equipped with comfortable seats and fridges for storing the milk. In addition, the rooms have hygiene facilities such as soap dispensers and water sinks with hot water to keep the milk pumps clean.
Women’s well-being
The bank, which has 199 branches, runs a family health and wellness programme dubbed “Inspire Her” that focuses on promoting the overall well-being of women in the bank.
Co-op Bank says in the year ended December 2023, it granted 171 maternity leaves, up from 170 in the previous year. The lender in the same year processed 128 paternity leaves compared with 157 in the prior year.
The lender closed last year with 6,163 employees, with 48 percent or 2,958 percent being female. The number is a 453 jump from the previous year when 46 percent or 2,505 of its 5,447 employees were female.
Co-op adds to the growing number of companies that are increasing the share of female workers in their workforce and also coming up with initiatives to accommodate their special needs.
Firms in Kenya are increasingly paying attention to diversity and inclusion at the workplace. The trend is driven by shareholders and financiers seeking to nudge firms to have a positive impact on people and the society even as they seek to generate returns for their investors.
According to Co-op, investment in human capital has reaped benefits such as higher retention rates that translate into cost savings and a more experienced team.
“The resultant uplift in morale sparks increased productivity, driving innovation and deepening engagement. The health and well-being of our employees lead to less absenteeism and superior work quality, which not only enhances our brand reputation but also attracts new talent,” said the lender.
The bank adds that it employs the principle of equal pay for equal work ensuring that employees receive equitable compensation regardless of their gender.
