Losing a child at any stage is an unimaginable grief. And yet, for many bereaved parents, the heartbreak is compounded by silence, stigma, and the lack of support in their workplaces.
AngloGold Ashanti Australia (AGAA) is helping to change that. By recognising pregnancy and infant loss through a groundbreaking Bereavement Parental Leave Policy, the company is showing what it means to truly support employees—not just through the joys of parenthood, but through its most painful losses too.
Pregnancy and infant loss remain among the most silenced forms of grief, despite affecting thousands of families each year. In many industries, particularly male-dominated sectors like mining, these conversations are still cloaked in discomfort, euphemism, or outright omission from policy frameworks.
But silence doesn’t protect, it isolates. AGAA’s new policy not only offers tangible support but also dismantles the stigma, creating space for honest dialogue and lasting cultural change.
What follows is a powerful example of how one organisation developed a policy grounded in lived experience and how it’s paving the way for more inclusive and humane workplaces.
When Rebecca Darby lost her infant son Arthur, she was warned by a hospital social worker that the workplace could become a source of additional pain. “I was specifically warned about the high likelihood that dealing with my workplace would be difficult and may have a significant negative impact on my mental health,” she recalls.
Instead, she found compassion. And that compassion became the foundation of AGAA’s Bereavement Parental Leave Policy, a project led by Rebecca in her role as Senior Specialist, Culture and DEI, and shaped by the support and input of other bereaved parents, both within and beyond the organisation.
“Support and approval from AGAA leadership to introduce this policy was immediate. One thing that has been clear to me in my 17 years with AGAA is that supporting our people during times of need is part of the way we do things here.”
AGAA’s policy is one of the most inclusive in the industry. It covers bereavement after pregnancy loss from any gestation, infant or child death, and includes all parent types—regardless of gender, adoption, surrogacy, or foster care. There’s no primary/secondary carer distinction, and the language has been deliberately chosen to recognise varied forms of loss without requiring employees to define their experience. It’s a powerful combination of clarity, empathy, and choice, particularly in a time when parents often feel they have none.
What makes AGAA’s approach truly stand out is that it goes beyond just paid leave. The policy includes:
- Practical tools for leaders to support grieving team members
- Guidance from first contact to return-to-work transitions
- Emphasis on psychological safety through deliberate language
- Consideration of systemic gaps (e.g. avoiding automated “congratulations” emails)
“When your world has been turned upside down and nothing makes sense, clarity is so important,” says Rebecca. “We don’t use broad euphemisms to be inclusive, we use specific terms to ensure no one feels left out of the policy.”
This level of depth shows an understanding that policy alone doesn’t change culture—people do. By educating leaders and embedding lived experience into the design, AGAA ensures the policy is usable, human, and deeply respectful.
Rebecca’s advice to other organisations is clear: “Provide the same care, attention and generosity to bereaved parents as you do to all parents.” She urges others to think beyond just leave to consider systems, language, training, and the whole employee experience.
And perhaps most importantly, to consult those with lived experience.
Every parent deserves to be seen, supported, and acknowledged, no matter what their journey looks like. AGAA Bereavement Parental Leave Policy is a reminder that even in the most difficult circumstances, workplaces can be sources of strength, not silence.
If you’re looking for an employer that will support you through every chapter of life, joyful or difficult, follow AngloGold Ashanti Australia on WORK180 and stay updated on their latest job opportunities and progressive policies.
