Brett C. shares his reflections on embarking on the new journey of parenthood and the profound impact it has had on his sense of purpose at Kimberly-Clark.
 
Over the past four years, I've had the privilege of being a part of this purpose-led company that prioritizes care at the heart of everything we do. 
 
As Kimberly-Clark's Omnichannel Marketing Team Lead for a large national retailer, one of my proudest moments has been collaborating with my cross-functional team to successfully launch our Huggies® Special Delivery™ Diapers and drive growth in the diaper category. To do so, we embraced Kimberly-Clark's values of “We Care” and “We Own,” putting our consumers at the center of everything we did, pushing past the status quo, and breaking down barriers. 
 
Our most innovative launch to date included an experiential event in Minneapolis, MN, USA, where new parents could create lasting memories with their babies and receive a free pack of Huggies® diapers. Witnessing the joy and happiness it brought to families was truly rewarding.
 
Supporting the Huggies® brand as part of my job allows me to immerse myself in the world of babies every day. However, my love of babies and connection to the Huggies® brand was taken to a new level when my husband I welcomed our twins into our lives via surrogacy in 2022. 
 
Throughout my journey, both my Kimberly-Clark team and the organization have been incredibly supportive. They've shown genuine interest, offered help, and even organized a baby shower for me. Additionally, Kimberly-Clark's extended parental leave, surrogacy reimbursement credit, and employee resource groups like PRIDE and Parents Interactive Network have been invaluable resources for me and my family.
 
Kimberly-Clark's expanded policy on paid parental leave is a testament to their commitment to inclusivity. As more people are expanding their families through methods like surrogacy and adoption, it's crucial that companies think about parental leave in more inclusive ways. The extended leave not only benefits the birthing parent but also acknowledges the importance of bonding time for all parents involved, including gay parents, single parents, and more. 
 
As a new dad who had children through surrogacy, I'm grateful for the seven weeks of paid leave that allowed me to focus on my babies' well-being, establish feeding and sleeping routines, attend doctor appointments, and give me time to sleep in, whenever possible.
 
As an LGBTQ+ employee and parent, I've felt supported and embraced by Kimberly-Clark. The company's commitment to diversity and inclusivity extends beyond policies and benefits. Inclusion, equity, and diversity (IE&D) are woven throughout Kimberly-Clark's culture. 
 
One impactful example that stands out to me is a recent event at our national sales meeting, where leaders candidly discussed the importance of IE&D. They shared their personal stories, which on the surface were different, but at the core, had so many similarities. 
 
We all feel better and do better when we can be our authentic selves at work with a diverse team around us. The conversation left me inspired to be a better leader and advocate for further advancement in inclusion, equity and diversity at Kimberly-Clark.