Tackling Childcare: The Business Case for Employer-supported Childcare in Sri Lanka Case Study F. J. & G. de Saram Legal Services FJII G de Saram ly KF WO"LDB"KG--- Atorey-a Creating Markets, Creating Opportunities ABOUT IFC IFC-a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group--is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We workwith more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in the toughest areas of the world. In fiscal year 2018,we delivered more than $23 billion in long-term financing for developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information,visit i ABOUT IFCS WOMEN IN WORK PROGRAM IN SRI LANKA The IFC-led Women in Work (WiW) Program, a four year program va lued at US$11.Smn and funded bytheAustralian Government, launched in April 2017 It is IFCs largest, standalone country-based gender program, working with private sector companies to close gender gaps while improving business performance. The program, which benefits from mu tisector program design and works closely with the World Bank on research, tackles women's access to jobs and assets at the same time. It aims to increase women's workforce participation in Sri Lanka's private sector, create more and betterjobs for women, and has the potential to increase company profits and drive overall economic growth. WiW a so contributes to the vision of the Government of Sri Lanka where all citizens can achieve higher incomes and better standards of iving by2025.2 Access to quality childcare services is a key constraint on women's labor force participation. Fol lowing I FC's global Tackling Childcare initiative, this report highlights Sri Lanka-specific data, experiences and resources on employer-supported childcare and may not only be relevant to individual businesses but can also serve as a resource for special economic zones, Information Technology (IT) parks and other consortium models. This case study is one of 10 featured in the report 'Tockling Childcare: The Business Case for Employer-supported Childcare in Sri Lanka", available at .ifordtacklinchiadeare. COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER NOTICE @ International Finance Corporation 2018. All rights reserved. 2121 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 USA Internet wforg The material in this work is copyrighted. 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All names, logos and trademarks are the property of IFC and you may not use any of such materials for any purpose without the express written consent of IFC.Additional y,"International Finance Corporation" and "IFC" are registered trademarks of IFC and are protected under international law. December2018 F. J. & G. de Saram FJ G de Saram Pioneering Daycare as a Concept since 2000 F. J. & G. de Saram, established in 1841 in Colombo, is F. J. & G. de Saram has always had women among their the oldest and one of the largest law firms in Sri Lanka. workforce, with the first woman lawyer hired in the late It is a full-service law firm providing legal services in all 1950s. Today, the law firm has over 100 employees out areas of corporate and commercial law to its clientele of whom 64 percent are women. Eighteen years ago, which includes leading business houses in Sri Lanka and two young attorneys and mothers Ayomi Aluwihare, the majority of the transnationa I corporations engaged professional assistant (currently, Precedent Partner), and in business in Sri Lanka, including Fortune 500 companies Shehara Varia, professional assistant (currently, Partner), and multilateral agencies. The firm is also consistently identified the need to open a daycare facility at the law ranked by many of the global and regional legal firm as they wanted to continue their career and fulfill directories as a top tier firm in Sri Lanka in the practice their roles as mothers while being productive at the areas of capital markets, project finance, banking and workplace. The Precedent Partner at the time, Udaya mergers and acquisitions. Kadurugamuwa, was open to the suggestion and requested them to submit a business case. At the time, The legal profession globally is male-dominated. women made up about 68 percent of legal professionals According to a 2013 study of 86 countries (representing in the firm and the business plan for the cr6che was 80 percent of the world's population), women began to approved with immediate effect with the mothers having join the legal profession in significant numbers worldwide taken the ownership of setting up the cr6che by in the 2000s.3 The situation is significantly different in themselves. Sri Lanka, where women are said to make up 65 percent among law professionals of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. It all started by converting a room in the office and employing a qualified nursery teacher who is still "Never wait for the organization to create a day running the daycare. The cr6che caters to children from care facility. If it's a business case, it's in your hands five months to any age above and is open both to o cchildren of male and female professionals working at the firm. Children who are less than two and a half year old small space and dedication of the parentsto run are expected to bring their nannies to ensure that a I it* needs are taken care of. The teacher is aware of the necessary skills and knowledge that are required to be Shehara Varia, Partner, Founding Parent of the imparted for each age group and supports the children F. J. & G. de Saram creche with school homework which enables the parents to spend more qua ity time once they get home. To keep the children engaged, the crbche conducts different activities such as arts and crafts, playtime, celebrations, dance classes, etc. I "Transport from school to the childcare facility is a critical part for the parents to manage. Thanks to flexible work hours, I can pick up and drop my daughter from school to the daycare, which helps me manage work effectively." Mother who uses the F. . & G. de Saram creche Founders of the F..& G.de Saram Creche Faci ity 02 The faci ity is provided free of all costs to the employees In addition to the daycare faci ity, the firm provides who are professionals and can accommodate up to 10 extended maternity leave, work from home and flexible children. Opening hours of the cr6che are from 2:00 p.m. work hour arrangements upon request. For non- to 6:00 p.m. as it is currently catering to school-going professiona staff, there is a separate provision for children. One of the key challenges faced while running childcare, at the discretion of finding an external facility the daycare was the retention of the creche facility on their own. F.J. & G. de Saram has noticed positive assistants. However, as the children grew older, their business benefits because of their childcare efforts. needs also evolved, and a call was made not to employ They have seen a close to 100 percent maternity return full-time working assistants. rate since the childcare facility was launched and the percentage of women professionals in the firm has "The children have grown up together over many remained high. In recognition of its support to working years and have built some long-lasting friendships parents, the firm received the "Best Firm in Sri Lanka" despite moving into different schools." award by Asia Women in Business Law Awards in 2011. Mother who uses the F. J. & G. de Saram cr6che "I have four children and took some time off and I re-joined the company. Thanks to the daycare facility I can focus and perform at my absolute best." Mother of four children who use the F. . & G. de Saram cr6che 1 FC. 2017. Government of Australia Partner to Support More and Better Jobs for Women in Sri Lanka. 2 Office of the Prime Minister. 2017. Vision 2025. A Country Enriched. See page 26. 4 Bar Association of Sri Lanka. Number of women lawyer members of Bar Association of Sri Lanka byyear. 2017. 03 ICThe DFAT FCWomen in Work program Srn Lanka, in partnership with eading private I FC E I ....... sector companies, aims to demonstrate that corporate performance can improve from Cting Makets, Creatig Opportunities cosing gaps betweeinwomen and men i n the private sector.