PARSIPPANY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the ninth year in a row, Zoetis has been named one of Seramount’s 100 Best Companies (previously known as the Working Mother 100 Best Companies list).
The company was also named to Seramount’s Best Companies for Dads list for the second year. Both awards reflect Zoetis’ commitment to providing colleagues with a range of family-friendly benefits and flexible work arrangements.
“At Zoetis, we believe it is essential to offer inclusive benefits for colleagues and their loved ones as we create a culture and workplace where our colleagues can thrive. Paid gender-neutral parental leave, phase-back programs, childcare access, bereavement leave after miscarriage, reimbursement for fertility expenses, and mental health benefits are just a few of the programs recognized by Seramount,” said Roxanne Lagano, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Global Operations. “We also understand how important flexibility is when it comes to leading a balanced and productive life, and we are committed to making flexibility a lasting part of our culture. We are honored to once again be named one of Seramount’s 100 Best Companies and a Best Company for Working Dads.”
A.J. Edge and Daniel Edge Named Zoetis’ Working Parents of the Year
As part of the 100 Best Companies recognition, Zoetis named A.J. Edge and Daniel Edge, DVM, its 2022 Working Parents of the Year. Together for 20 years and married for 13, A.J., Marketing Manager, and Daniel, Director of U.S. Petcare Medical Affairs, are fathers to two adopted sons, Jackson, 17, and Peyton, 12.
Advocacy and Allyship
As active members of the company’s Proud and Welcome (PAW) Colleague Resource Group for LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies, A.J. and Daniel are strong advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, as well as in the veterinary profession. As part of his membership in PrideVMC, an association for veterinary professionals who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, Daniel played an active role in promoting the organization’s Gender Identity Bill of Rights (GIBOR), a document that states the rights of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming persons, and provides guidance on how workplaces can support their employees by identifying and eliminating discriminatory practices. In partnership with members of PAW and the Zoetis Human Resources team, Daniel helped raise the GIBOR document to the company’s executive team for their visibility, resulting in the company signing the bill. “Zoetis has consistently expanded health and wellness benefits over the past few years to be more inclusive for all persons, including support for those across the full LGBTQ+ community spectrum. Becoming a signatory was further affirmation that Zoetis values diversity in all current and future colleagues,” said Daniel.
The couple also makes it a priority to teach their children what allyship looks like, and the inherent good that comes from supporting others and advocating for change. “As a family, we’ve volunteered in our community, attended rallies and other advocacy meetings and even sent our oldest son on a volunteer mission in Guatemala as a means of exposing them to other people, communities and areas of the world. Our belief is that regardless of what you look like, where you came from, and even who you love, everyone deserves our love and support,” said A.J.
Advice for Other Working Parents
When asked what advice they would give other parents, A.J. noted that giving up on perfection can really help. “As a working parent, you have to step back and realize that it’s not always going to be perfect, and that is ok. But you can still accomplish everything that you want to -- and feel good about that at the end of the day.” Daniel added, “As a parent, you are also a teacher to your child, whether you embrace that or not. The learnings I want my children to take away from me are gratitude for the experiences that we have in life, and appreciation for others.”
Watch A.J. and Daniel’s story here.
Learn More
Read more about Seramount’s 100 Best Companies and Best Companies for Dads. For more information about Zoetis, including career opportunities and our award-winning culture, visit https://careers.zoetis.com/.
About Zoetis
As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After 70 years innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide – from livestock farmers to veterinarians and pet owners. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. A Fortune 500 company, Zoetis generated revenue of $7.8 billion in 2021 with approximately 12,100 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com.
About Seramount
Seramount, part of EAB, is a strategic professional services and research firm dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. For over four decades we have partnered with 450 of the most iconic companies in the world. This has allowed us to build a deep, data-driven understanding of the employee experience, which lays the groundwork for everything we do. Seramount provides best practice research, leadership skill-building, expert advisory and custom research, and implementation tools to DEI leaders within the organizations it serves. We meet each partner’s needs no matter where they are on their journey and guide them along an ever-changing talent landscape. Learn more at seramount.com.
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