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World Breastfeeding Week runs from 1 to 7 August 2026, a global campaign coordinated by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and backed by the World Health Organisation, UNICEF and health ministries around the world. Its aim is to promote breastfeeding and support mothers globally. But for HR leaders, it's also a timely prompt to look at how well their own organisations support mothers who are breastfeeding once they're back at their desks. Ahead of this year's campaign, leaders across business spoke about where workplace support is working, falling short, and what needs to change.
The business case for getting it right
Eileen Burbidge MBE
Executive Director, Fertifa
Eileen Burbidge MBE, Executive Director of Fertifa, was clear that supporting working mothers isn't just the right thing to do, it makes commercial sense too. "It's an important and sound commercial decision to support working mothers full stop, whether they are breastfeeding or bottle feeding," she said.
"Investing in talent retention needs to include mothers returning to work. In the case of breastfeeding mothers, there are logistical, physical and practical considerations to take into account which workplaces may overlook, adding to the stresses for the working mother and potentially discouraging her from returning at all."
Without a clear right to paid time to express, it's left to individuals or potentially their managers to navigate whether they need to schedule meetings around or even interrupt a meeting for expressing
She pointed to a national study of NHS staff which found that although 79% of women were still breastfeeding when they returned to work, only 59% wanted to continue once they were back. "The drop off is directly correlated to the workplace constraints," she said. "For employers who want to retain experienced women in the business after maternity leave, this is one of the most concrete, low-cost ways to do it."
A policy gap that leaves women to manage alone
Burbidge also highlighted the absence of any UK statutory right to paid breaks for expressing milk. "It means that women will be compensating by expressing during their lunch breaks or outside of working hours and likely suffering discomfort as those windows of opportunity may not be frequent enough based on her supply," she said.
"There's some protection under the Equality Act, in that treating a breastfeeding employee unfavourably can amount to sex discrimination, but that's a legal backstop not a practical policy. Without a clear right to paid time to express, it's left to individuals or potentially their managers to navigate whether they need to schedule meetings around or even interrupt a meeting for expressing."
Elizabeth Willetts
Founder, Investing In Women
Elizabeth Willetts, Founder of Investing In Women, made a similar point about the gap between progress in principle and progress in practice. "Returning to work after having a baby is challenging enough without having to worry about how you'll continue breastfeeding or whether you'll be judged for it," she said.
"For many women, it's another example of having to fit their lives around work, rather than work fitting around life. We've made progress in talking more openly about maternity and flexible working, but breastfeeding at work is still something many women feel uncomfortable raising. Too often, they're left to navigate it on their own."
We've made progress in talking more openly about maternity and flexible working, but breastfeeding at work is still something many women feel uncomfortable raising. Too often, they're left to navigate it on their own
Box-ticking versus facilities mothers will actually use
Asked what separates genuine support from box-ticking, Burbidge offered a simple test. "An example of a box-ticking facility is a policy which says expressing is welcome in a workplace, but no comfortable, private or dedicated space in which to do it," she said. "Another example would be a room with a sign on the door, but nothing practical behind it such as a lock to ensure privacy, refrigerator to store milk or booking system to ensure availability and accessibility. A straightforward test would be whether a new mother would choose to use the facility 3-4 times a day for months, or would she give up after a week?"
Nicola Hodkinson
Owner and Director, Seddon
Nicola Hodkinson, owner and director of construction firm Seddon, made the same point from the perspective of a male-dominated industry. "For many women returning to work in construction, something as straightforward as being able to express milk in a private, hygienic space can make all the difference," she said.
"Without it, we risk losing talented people from our industry at the very point when we need them most. The reality is, many decision-makers in our industry are men, and that's exactly why we need to be more vocal about the practical needs of new mothers. If leaders don't know what's required, they can't make the right changes."
For many women returning to work in construction, something as straightforward as being able to express milk in a private, hygienic space can make all the difference
"At Seddon, we've seen first-hand that when you put something as simple as a breastfeeding room in place, it transforms the return-to-work experience and helps retain valuable talent," she added. "Investing in breastfeeding isn't about ticking diversity boxes - it's about creating workplaces that reflect real life."
