New Report Highlights Family-Friendly Workplace Initiatives Across China, Japan and Korea

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Global Compact and the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In celebration of International Women’s Month, the United Nations Global Compact Liaison Office in China convened the China-Japan-Korea (CJK) Business Roundtable: Business Role in Building Family-Friendly Workplaces and Inclusive Culture for Male Allyship. During the event, the UN Global Compact Liaison Office in China launched a new publication titled Parents at Work: Companies Building Family-Friendly Workplaces and Inclusive Culture with Male Allyship, showcasing how family-friendly policies address emerging demographic challenges, facilitate talent retention, and promote long-term sustainability in East Asia.

Drawing on data from the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Gender Gap Analysis Tool and interviews with a range of organizations, the report reveals growing momentum across China, Japan, and Korea in fostering inclusive and family-focused workplaces. It chronicles a number of practical initiatives, featuring companies such as BIPROGY Inc. in Japan, which offers flexible schedules, reduced work hours, and nine months of parental leave for both parents; DiDi Global in China, where on-site lactation facilities, mentorship, and flexible arrangements support employees through every stage of parenthood and Kolmar Group in Korea, which emphasizes prolonged paid parental leave, financial bonuses, and filial allowances to assist both childcare and eldercare; and Lenovo in China, which provides on-site childcare for up to 50 children and a phased return-to-work plan for new parents.

According to Meng Liu, Head of the UN Global Compact Liaison Office in China, “This timely report addresses demographic shifts and gender disparities in China, Japan, and Korea, highlighting the crucial role of East Asian businesses in building a more inclusive and sustainable economy. It showcases family-friendly workplace practices that enhance productivity and contribute to sustainable growth, offering actionable recommendations and serving as a call to action for global best practices aligned with SDG 5.”

Underscoring the broader benefits of these practical steps, the report issues a seven-part guide rooted in the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), urging companies to embed high-level leadership support, embrace non-discriminatory policies, ensure workplace safety for mothers, invest in relevant training, empower women through supply chain strategies, extend family-friendly community initiatives, and measure results for continuous improvement.

Global Compact Network Japan Executive Director Hidetaka Yabe welcomed the publication by noting that China, Japan, and Korea “serve as forerunners in transforming demographic challenges into opportunities for sustainable business and a gender-equal society,” and that the trend analysis and guidance in the report should inform organizations regionally and worldwide.

Reflecting similar sentiments, Executive Director of UN Global Compact Country Network Korea, Yeonchul Yoo, emphasized that “family-friendly policies are business imperatives, not just social responsibilities,” adding that the new report is “an invaluable resource for businesses creating equitable and supportive work environments.”

By illustrating both large-scale and smaller-scale organizational approaches, “Parents at Work: Companies Building Family-Friendly Workplaces and Inclusive Culture with Male Allyship” underlines the universal relevance of fostering inclusive and supportive conditions for working parents.

The UN Global Compact Liaison Office in China, in partnership with Global Compact Network Japan and Global Compact Network Korea, hopes that more companies will emulate these commitments and accelerate collective efforts to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, confirming that a cohesive strategy to encourage male allyship and offer practical support to working families is vital to sustainable business growth across the region and beyond.

About the UN Global Compact

The ambition of the UN Global Compact is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the SDGs through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 20,000 participating companies, 5 Regional Hubs, 63 Country Networks covering 80 countries and 13 Country Managers establishing Networks in 18 other countries, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.