20 July 2022
This month, Funding Circle, the UK’s largest small business loan platform, has launched a new Parental Buddy Scheme to support Funding Circle employees, known as Circlers.
The initiative aims to support employees who are preparing for, taking or returning from parental leave by providing them with access to a ‘buddy’. It was launched by ‘Parents @FC’ — one of Funding Circle’s five Diversity, Equity and Inclusion groups — which focuses on providing a safe space and a network for parents, in response to Circler feedback.
Buddies will have first-hand experience of becoming a parent and can, for example, share their personal experience of the transition to the dual role of parent and employee. The buddy is designed to act as a sounding board, in addition to support provided by the employee’s line manager.
Through the Parents @FC group, Funding Circle employees have asked for support with topics such as:
- Lines of communication with your manager before, during and after parental leave
- Challenges during pregnancy
- Specific challenges for expectant / new parents
- Managing the competing demands of being a working parent
- Childcare
Funding Circle also offers employees enhanced maternity pay, partner leave and adoption leave, as well as compassionate leave for parental bereavement and fertility treatments. The Company is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team: where people’s skills, personalities and personal circumstances complement each other and reflect the customers we are here to help.
“Funding Circle is a mission-led business and our people and our culture are among our most important assets. As a first-time parent, I remember having so much to look forward to, but also being mindful about how I would juggle parenting with my professional life. We want to make sure that our Circlers who are preparing for, taking, or returning from parental leave have as much support around them as possible — our Parental Buddy Scheme will play a vital role in this.”
Victoria Bradford
People Director, Funding Circle
ENDS
For more information
press@fundingcircle.com
About Funding Circle
Funding Circle is the UK’s largest loan platform for SMEs. Founded in 2010, its market-leading and unparalleled instant decision lending technology enables small businesses to apply for finance in an average of six minutes, with lending decisions in as little as nine seconds. A wide range of investors are utilising this technology and distribution platform to lend c. £14 billion to approximately 120,000 businesses globally. This is providing small businesses with the fast and simple access finance they need to grow and power the economy. In 2021, lending through Funding Circle's UK platform is estimated to have contributed £7.2bn to GDP and supported 100,000 jobs.