"Customized Welfare for Pregnancy and Childcare"… Lotte Department Store Receives Appreciation Plaque from Low Birthrate Committee

Focusing on Customized Welfare Throughout the Life Cycle
First Among Major Corporations to Introduce Automatic Three-Month Paternity Leave

Lotte Department Store announced on the 9th that it received a plaque of appreciation from the Low Fertility and Aging Society Committee. The Low Fertility and Aging Society Committee is a presidential advisory body overseeing government policies related to low birthrates and aging, and it awards plaques of appreciation to companies that have contributed to reversing the declining birthrate trend.

Jung Junho, CEO of Lotte Department Store, receiving a plaque of appreciation from Joo Hyung-hwan, Vice Chairman of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee, for his contributions to reversing the low birthrate at the Lotte Department Store headquarters in Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. (From left: Jung Junho, CEO of Lotte Department Store; Joo Hyung-hwan, Vice Chairman of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee). Provided by Lotte Department Store.

On the same day, Joo Hyung-hwan, Vice Chairman of the Low Fertility Committee, visited the headquarters of Lotte Department Store in Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, and presented a plaque of appreciation to Jung Jun-ho, CEO of Lotte Department Store, for the excellent implementation of work-family balance systems. This recognition is the result of acknowledging the company’s longstanding efforts in recognizing the low birthrate issue as a social responsibility that companies must jointly address.

Vice Chairman Joo Hyung-hwan expressed his gratitude while presenting the plaque, saying, “We appreciate Lotte Department Store’s efforts in leading the spread of a culture of work-family balance through innovative support policies to overcome low birthrates.”

Lotte Department Store has been committed to work-family balance through customized welfare policies based on the “life cycle of employees.” The life cycle is divided into five stages: entry, pregnancy, childcare, education, and middle age, providing necessary support at each stage to create a stable working environment.

Lotte Department Store has focused support systems on the pregnancy and childcare stages, where childcare burdens are significant, greatly increasing job satisfaction. Last month, in line with the government’s revision of childcare support laws, it became the first large company to introduce an automatic three-month paternity leave system. Additionally, specialized innovative support policies during pregnancy?such as prenatal examination support for prospective parents, shortened working hours for pregnant employees, paid ultrasound leave for expectant fathers, infertility leave, and cost support?are recognized as exemplary cases of childcare support systems among large companies.

For the emotional stability of pregnant employees and fetuses, the prenatal education travel program supports spending time at nature-friendly premium resorts such as Ananti and Gonjiam, which has received high approval, with 98% of eligible employees applying.

During the childcare stage, services such as side dish delivery and laundry support are provided through the “Welfare Wallet,” and during kindergarten and elementary school enrollment periods, emotional care for children is supported through programs like “Our Child’s First Step Leave” and “Child Elementary School Enrollment Leave.”

For these efforts, Lotte Department Store received the 2023 Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s Best Family-Friendly Company award and the 2024 Ministry of Employment and Labor’s Presidential Citation for Excellence in Gender Employment Equality.

CEO Jung Jun-ho stated, “In response to the national agenda of low birthrates, we are focusing on innovating support systems by comprehensively considering employees’ opinions and trends,” adding, “We will continue to explore various ways to ensure the happiness of our employees and the growth of the company go hand in hand.”