Kimberly-Clark (Irving, Tex., USA) announced on Sept. 25, 2018 that the company has been named to Working Mother's 100 Best Companies for 2018 for its work to create opportunities for female career advancement, paid parental leave, child care programs, benefits, and flextime. The company also earned a spot on the 2017 list.

"For Kimberly-Clark to grow and prosper, we must build a workforce that reflects our consumers, and our ability to attract and retain working parents is incredibly important to that effort," said Scott Boston, Kimberly-Clark's Chief Human Resources Officer. "We are proud to cultivate a business environment, along with employee resource groups like our Parents Interactive Network, where working parents have the tools they need to be their best at work and at home."

Working Mother revealed its annual list earlier today, based on the comparison of data submitted by companies, as well as data from U.S. companies collected by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for its 2018 Employee Benefits Report.

"This year's 100 Best Companies continue to strive for excellence when it comes to providing a work environment that is not only woman-friendly, but parent-friendly," says Meredith Bodgas, editor-in-chief of Working Mother. "By offering flexible schedules, paid parental leave, post-leave phase-back periods, adoption and surrogacy financial assistance, and mentoring programs, these companies address working parents' and caregivers' needs head-on and help them succeed at work and home."

Working Mother also recognized Kimberly-Clark's Working Mother of the Year, Lesly VanDen Heuvel. A self-defined "Smart Mother on a Mission," VanDen Heuvel joined the company in 2005 and has held a variety of engineering roles prior to her current role as a Senior IT Business Analyst in Neenah, Wisconsin, VanDen Heuvel's volunteerism includes Cub Scout leader, STEM outreach coordinator, vice president of the local Youth Athletic Association, and Taekwondo instructor.

"Lesly's approach to her career, family and community is a great example of how women at Kimberly-Clark can successfully balance these priorities and achieve their dreams," said Tina Busch, Kimberly-Clark's VP of Diversity and Inclusion.

Working Mother's "100 Best Companies" list is the latest distinction for the company this year, which includes being listed on Forbes' 2018 Best Employers and Best Employers for Diversity. To learn more about careers at Kimberly-Clark, visit welcomeoriginalthinkers.com.

The 100 Best Companies application includes more than 400 questions on leave policies, workforce representation, benefits, childcare, advancement programs, flexibility policies, and more. It surveys the availability and usage of these programs, as well as the accountability of the many managers who oversee them. All applicants receive feedback showing how they compare with other applicants; however, the names of applicants that do not make the list are kept confidential. Company profiles and data come from submitted applications and reflect 2017 data.