Family Friendly Hall of Fame - come and see who signed up in 2011

[carriemumsnet]

We've closed entry for this year's Mumsnet Family Friendly Awards. In the next day or so we're going to be asking you to vote for our first ever Family Friendly Innovation awards, but in the meantime we thought we'd let you know who has signed up and committed to trying to be Family Friendly both internally - in how they treat their staff - and externally - in how they treat families. All are keen to admit that they haven't got it 100% right yet, but the fact that they have signed up and are prepared to try and listen to families, we think, is worth celebrating.

All the companies have had an internal audit of their staff and where relevant we've have had teams of Mumsnetters from the Family Friendly panel doing secret shopping (click here if you'd like to be part of the MN research panel).

The companies are each going to be awarded gold, silver or bronze awards based on their combined internal/ external scores (announced Nov 2nd) and we're hoping that they will display Mumsnet Family Friendly stickers on their premises - so look out for them later in the year and do support them if you can! We'll be coming back with more updates and info as time goes on but for now, here's the roll of honour...(in alphabetical order, I hope...)

BT, Cool Milk, Easyjet, Edelman (PR), Heathrow, Manor Arms pubs, Matalan, Metro Bank, 02, P&G, Pizza Express, Pearson, PZ Cussons, Squires Sanders Hammond (Law firm), Starcom MediaVest (ad agency) and Talk Talk.

Thanks all
MNHQ

Cool Milk are annoying ime.

unsurprisingly the NHS isn't on your list.

Starcom MediaVest - I'm glad they're family friendly and they should take pride i nthat but can I snigger quietly about their comedy company name? Particularly given that they do brand management? It's like something from Think the Unthinkable...

Erm according to industry site Roll On Friday, Squire Sanders Hammond don't even offer childcare vouchers! firm review here.

I could do with some sensible advise. I am dating a lovely widower aged 52. He lost his wife almost two years ago. I am just about understanding and copeing with 'significant' days however it's much tougher than I thought. I want this relationship to flourish - how or what do I do to cope with a silent 3rd person in this relationship?
Thanks for the time!!

Howl at bt. When i was there i had to change more than 70 contracts, some involved working parents having to work til 10pm with no childcare provision. The tears were horrendous. I left after that. Some of the demands were horrific.

YAY for Manor Arms - don't know how they treat their staff, but their baby changing rooms are great. And using their space in the day foor baby and toddler activities.

Having just endured a return easyjet flight with 3 children under 4 I am rolling on the floor laughing at the mere suggestion that they could be possibly considered family friendly.... A truly hideous experience that I will not be repeating again....

sixteen companies? is that really it?

in the entirety of the uk?

i don't think i'm surprised, tbh, it's not really an aim for most companies, whatever they say at the recruitment stage, but... i dunno. i think i might be a bit disappointed. only 16 companies saw any value in being recognised as family friendly. and i wonder how many of them only put themselves forward by virtue of having an mner on staff?

kudos to those that bothered though. and the big names should ensure more take -up next year...

Oh, I'm sure they all want to be seen as family friendly. It's only a question of whether this particular advertising route suited the rest of their advertising. Clearly Pearson went for it as part of their whole package of advertising on MN -- the banners and the review thread and the advertorial content they have on MN. It won't be the right advertising for everyone.

My dp works for BT and while our family have been through some difficult times this year, they have bent over backwards to be accommodating wrt flexible working and compassionate leave. Same goes for 2 ladies on his team. Far and away better than my work (public sector) who quite honestly couldn't give a shit.

I hope Pizza Express have changed their baby-changing policy since a couple years ago when MrNC wasn't allowed to change ds as they only had one change table which they put in the ladies and refused to let him in there...

Got a generic fobbing-off letter when I complained.

Hadn't realised Manor Arms was a chain - but certainly the one near me is wonderfully baby/small child/parent-friendly - they even provide breast pads as well as toys! The food is excellent, too.

Having used Heathrow Airport yesterday, they don't deserve to be recognised as family friendly by Mumsnet. Pretty rainbow security arches might make my DD smile but its the big things that matter, like getting your buggy back at the aircraft door and being told the truth!
We flew for the first time with 12 month old twin DS and DD, 3, crazy you may think but we did have a lovely holiday. As Mumsnet suggests, we called the airline to check their policy regarding buggies and were told we could keep the buggy with us till we boarded and it would be returned when we got off the plane. This was confirmed by the check in staff, and the air stewardesses, but surprise, surprise when we ask at the door of the plane we are told we are too late and it has gone to baggage reclaim already, a good 20 minute walk away! There is no way we can make that walk with two little ones who can't walk in our arms, together with hand luggage (including a much redundant buggy board) and even DD would need much persuading, so we wait for them to bring it back. There isn't much entertainment for kids in the boarding bridge whilst we waited 50 minutes for our buggy to come back! How can that be family friendly?
We were told that they thought it would be helpful to get it to baggage reclaim quickly - err, no, not if we were never going to get there. Also the reason they don't like to bring buggies to the aircraft door was health and safety as a baggage handler has apparently broken their leg carrying a buggy to the aircraft. Amazing, I manage to lift my buggy on and off buses, up and down stairs, ladened with the boys and shopping and DD on her buggy board, in and out if the car etc and as yet, without any training, I have no broken bones. Is it that difficult for airlines to tell you the truth and for baggage handlers to lift a buggy?