On May 14, 2019 the Mother-Baby Friendly Workplace Awards Ceremony, sponsored by Senator Scott Wiener, was held at the State Capitol Building in Sacramento.

See Program for the ceremony here.

Congratulations to the 2019 Mother-Baby Friendly Workplace Awardees!

Mellano and Company in Escondido employs over 50 people. Human Resources coordinates all aspects of ensuring employees know about the breastfeeding policy and serves as liaison to educate all employees, inform supervisors and coordinate break times and use of the lactation space. They were crucial in guiding the shift in culture by relating how this policy benefits everyone in their messaging to executive leadership for initial buy-in and gently reminding workers’ direct supervisors of their expected role of support. The lactation space serves a dual purpose—the room is also an employee relaxation space with wellness and nutrition resources, breastfeeding and pumping resources, yoga mats, exercise balls and weights, and climate control. Since the adoption of the baby-friendly workplace practices, almost half of the female workers were supported in being able to continue breastfeeding when returning to work.

“This education was sometimes challenging, as there are a lot of nuances to navigate in the agricultural industry, including how to accommodate new mothers who are typically out in the field all day. The crew chiefs have been very supportive of this new policy, and even drive employees back and forth from the lactation room.”

Qualcomm Incorporated in San Diego employs 13,000 people across California. Their policy is robust, all managers are thoroughly trained, and they provide space to express breastmilk as well as a breastfeeding support group through their own intranet website. They offer maternity leave classes for staff to understand the process and options available to them and do this during paid work time. Employees have championed the support from within and the company has instilled a breastfeeding friendly culture for all. 

“Qualcomm values foster a culture of empowerment and trust. This includes a supportive culture for breastfeeding. Premium mothers rooms, a lactation break policy, company funded breastfeeding support group that includes giveaways, lunches, information and resource exchange. The program also includes lactations consultations, emergency breastmilk pumping supplies funded by the company, working parent support groups, and in-person and virtual community employee support groups for working parents are available to all.”

San Bernardino Department of Public Health in San Bernardino employs over 200 people. They offer private spaces with education materials for breastfeeding employees and managers receive training to ensure support is given. The policy is enforced through yearly assessments of each space and department and managers have strict disciplinary action if they do not follow the policy and support their employees.

“Rather than leaving lactation support up to the individual programs and supervisors, this employer has elected to make lactation accommodation a priority, department wide.” 

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC) in San Jose employs over 6,000 people. They provide a variety of private pumping spaces and lactation rooms throughout their facilities. SCVMC Center was recently designated a Baby Friendly Hospital in January 2019. They have worked to overcome barriers with lactation room usage, ensuring access with key cards that are issued to each mother. The room also locks from the inside, providing privacy, so others cannot enter when in use. SCVMC policy is clear in its support and provides a map to show where all lactation spaces are located and acknowledges that new buildings must maintain a lactation space as well. They also ensure mothers know who to call for support or if they experience any issue with expressing their breastmilk.

“Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is well deserving of this award in that they have made efforts to ease the access to breastfeeding staff at the facility.” Karen Foster, Public Health Nutritionist