Leading electricity infrastructure company SSE has announced a series of "significant" improvements to its family leave policies.

The move is part of the company's drive to attract more people into its workforce as it steps up efforts to invest up to £24bn in the UK over the next decade.

The new measures include:

• Partner's Leave – an additional 7 weeks' paid leave for partners of parents who take maternity or adoption leave. Together with Paternity Leave, this gives partners 9 weeks' paid leave in total

• Pregnancy Loss Leave – 2 weeks' leave at full pay for employees who suffer a pregnancy loss, including partners

• Leave for Fertility Treatment - up to 2 weeks' leave at full pay

Already employing close to 11,000 people across operations SSE is increasing its workforce, consistent with its plan of adding at least 1,000 new roles per year to 2025.

In the past 12 months alone, the company has hired an additional 1,200 people including a record number of apprentices and graduates.

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One couple to benefit from the changes are, Beth and Owen MacKenzie, from Perth.

Beth Mackenzie, Lead Key Account Manager, SSE's Energy Customer Solutions, said: "The new parental leave entitlement is fantastic news and we are so delighted that we will benefit from this new incentive. The additional seven weeks is time that we never thought we would get to share together as a family. It is also helpful knowing Owen will be around to help out after the birth for this extended period."

Owen MacKenzie, 34, who works as a Product Owner for SSEN Distribution, added: "The changes the company made around Partners Leave came as a real shock to me. It was fantastic news to receive. I'm planning to take five weeks initially so I can spend an extended period of quality time with my wife and our new born, which I'm very grateful for as I'll never get that time back. I will then spread the further four weeks throughout the year to help support my wife when I can."

John Stewart, Director of Human Resources at SSE said: "We are racing ahead with our plans to deliver a cheaper, cleaner more secure homegrown energy system for the UK and Ireland.

"Our ambitious plans include building the world's largest offshore wind farm and the network to deliver the electricity to where it is needed.

"But we know we must attract and retain the best talent in order to achieve our aims. And that means doing things differently.

"In the context of a large electricity infrastructure business these changes are progressive, and I am very proud of the innovative and forward-thinking things our teams are constantly looking at in order to improve our offering.

"These latest steps are about recognising that there are many ways to start a family and we want all our employees to feel they are supported wherever they are on their journey."