Namwon-si Obtains Re-Certification as a Family-Friendly Institution from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family

[Namwon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Young-kwon] Namwon City, Jeonbuk (Mayor Lee Hwan-joo) announced on the 17th that it has been selected as a family-friendly re-certified institution by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

The family-friendly certification is a system that grants certification through evaluation to companies and public institutions that exemplary operate support for work-family balance for workers, such as childbirth and childcare support, flexible working systems, and fostering a family-friendly workplace culture.

Previously, the city was first selected as a family-friendly certified institution in 2016, extended the validity period in 2019, and as the extension period ended last month this year, it received re-certification after document review by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, vice mayor interview evaluation, employee satisfaction survey, and on-site inspection by evaluation items.

The re-certification period is three years.

To foster a family-friendly workplace culture, the city designates every Wednesday as Family Love Day, encouraging on-time departure, reduced working hours during pregnancy, parental leave for both men and women, spouse childbirth leave, family care leave, and active use of flexible working systems.

Various systems such as employee psychological and counseling support are also being promoted.

Additionally, as the first in Jeonbuk, the city supports free childcare services for second and subsequent children, establishes four communal childcare sharing centers, operates family programs with parents, and devotes efforts to building a family-friendly social environment by supporting cooperative activities involving the local community.

Mayor Lee Hwan-joo said, “When Namwon city officials create happy families through harmony between work and family life, they can provide better administrative services to citizens,” and added, “We will actively strive to ensure that a family-friendly atmosphere is established not only within the workplace but also in related institutions and the local community within the jurisdiction.”

Meanwhile, the family-friendly certification system has been implemented since 2008, and since the enforcement of the 'Act on the Promotion of Creating a Family-Friendly Social Environment' on March 28, 2017, it has been mandatory. However, the city proactively introduced the family-friendly management system by being designated as a family-friendly certified institution in 2016, before the legal obligation was enforced.

Namwon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Young-kwon wjddudrnjs@asiae.co.kr