Dove Men+Care Launches The Pledge for Paternity Leave and $1 Million Paternity Leave Fund

Partnership with Alexis Ohanian supports the fight for paid paternity leave in the United States

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Feb 19, 2019, 10:05 ET

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, less than 1 in 5 men in the U.S. are offered any paid paternity leave by their employer.¹ Among fathers who do have access to paid leave policies, many don't believe they can take their full time, if any, to care for their newborn. While the role dads play in the lives of their families continues to evolve, 87% of dads report being more satisfied with their lives when they can be the caregivers they want to be.² Today, Dove Men+Care launches the next phase of the brand's social mission that champions paternity leave for dads everywhere, and invites everyone to show their support for every dad's right to paid leave by signing The Pledge for Paternity Leave -- because when dads take leave, everyone benefits, including our families, workplaces and communities. To further support this cause, Dove Men+Care will also make a $1 million commitment to fund dads and their families nationwide who don't have access to paid paternity leave.

"Since we launched in 2010, the Dove Men+Care brand has communicated that modern masculinity is defined by the way men care," said Nick Soukas, VP of Skin Cleansing & Baby Care for Unilever. "By supporting this important initiative, our goal is to increase utilization rates of paid paternity leave for those men who have access to it and encourage other companies to come together and offer men paid paternity leave so they can take the time to care for their families."

The Pledge for Paternity Leave

While 50% of dads believe they should take paternity leave, almost three-quarters of them agree there's still little to no workplace support.³ To spark increased societal and policy change at the business and governmental levels, Dove Men+Care is launching The Pledge for Paternity Leave, a call to action for everyone – new and expectant dads, allies and business owners – to sign and drive increased awareness around the importance of access to paid leave policies to bond with a new child. Each pledge will signal to dads everywhere that they can and should feel safe when asking for their right to paid paternity leave.

"Through my own experience becoming a father, I saw firsthand the importance of taking paternity leave and being there for my family during a critical time in our lives," said Alexis Ohanian, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Initialized Capital. "No dad should have to sacrifice taking leave, and I've been very public about taking mine in an effort to show other men that you can still be an ambitious businessperson while also taking time for your family. And it's not just fathers who reap the benefits – it's in the best interest of families, workplaces and communities to support dads in taking leave. Working with Dove Men+Care, I will continue to try to tackle some of the societal stigmas that exist around paternity leave, and advocate for paid leave to be a right for dads everywhere."

The Dove Men+Care Paternity Leave Fund

When asked, nearly 7 out of 10 dads said they would change jobs to be more involved in the early weeks and months of caring for their newborn or adopted child.⁴ Understanding that dads should not have to choose between a paycheck and their children, Dove Men+Care will also launch The Dove Men+Care Paternity Leave Fund, a $1 million commitment through 2020 to fund real dads who are currently unable to take meaningful time off during this important life moment. While our push to make paid paternity leave the new standard is a long-term mission, expectant dads are in urgent need of support right now, and The Paternity Leave Fund is available for new or expectant dads who do not currently have access to paid leave through their employer, and all eligible dads are encouraged to apply for the Fund for the chance to receive a $5,000 grant.

To learn more about the campaign and join us in our fight to make paid paternity leave a right, visit DoveMenCare.com/Pledge to take The Pledge for Paternity Leave. Show your support for deserving dads everywhere on social using #PaternityLeavePledge, and share your reason for pledging by tagging @dovemencare on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About Dove Men+Care U.S.

Dove Men+Care is the first range of products from Dove developed specially for men. Manufactured by Unilever, the line includes the #1 dermatologist recommended bars and body washes in the U.S. Launched in 2010, the Dove Men+Care portfolio includes bars, body washes, face care, anti-perspirant/deodorants, and hair care. Dove Men+Care is available nationwide in food, drug, and mass outlet stores.

About Unilever United States, Inc.

Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods & Refreshment products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2.5 billion consumers a day. In the United States, the portfolio includes brand icons such as Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Breyers, Caress, Degree, Dollar Shave Club, Dove, Good Humor, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Love Beauty and Planet, Magnum, Nexxus, Noxzema, Pond's, Popsicle, Pure Leaf, Q-tips, Schmidt's Naturals, Seventh Generation, Simple, Sir Kensington's, St. Ives, Suave, Sundial Brands, Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto, TAZO, TIGI, TONI&GUY, TRESemmé and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies.

Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan underpins the company's strategy and commits to:

Helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being by 2020.
Halving the environmental impact of our products by 2030.
Enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people by 2020.

The USLP creates value by driving growth and trust, eliminating costs and reducing risks. Globally, the company's sustainable living brands grew 46% faster than the rest of the business and delivered more than 70% of the company's growth in 2017.

For more information on Unilever U.S., its brands, and the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan visit: www.unileverusa.com

¹ Boston College, 'The New Dad: Take Your Leave
Perspectives on paternity leave from fathers, leading organizations, and global policies: June 2014
² Department of Labor Policy Brief: Paternity Leave https://www.dol.gov/asp/policy-development/PaternityBrief.pdf
³ 'Helping Dads Care' Promundo-US & Dove Men+Care Study: May 2018
⁴ 'Helping Dads Care' Promundo-US & Dove Men+Care Study: May 2018

Contact:
Samantha Albright / Edelman
917.344.4656
[email protected]

SOURCE Dove Men+Care