Ikea Singapore is offering four weeks of paid paternity leave to all its employees.

The furniture giant said they are taking this initiative as the company adopts Swedish values.

Ikea implements paid paternity leave throughout their Southeast Asian offices and in Sweden, although entitlement varies for different countries.

Swedish values

Since Jan. 1, 2017, eligible working fathers, including those who are self-employed, are entitled to two weeks of paid paternity leave funded by the Singapore government.

Ikea's offer stems from its egalitarian Swedish values.

“Ikea has always taken an interest in life at home for families -- both in our products and in our workplace. We embrace Swedish values, and that includes gender equality,” says Lydia Song, HR Director for Ikea Southeast Asia.

MNC staff benefits

Multinational corporations have been leading the charge in Singapore with enhanced benefits for full-time employees who become parents.

In 2016, full-time Facebook staff in Singapore got four months of parental leave, a company-wide benefit extended to all new dads and same-sex partners.

Photo contest

Ikea Singapore and the Swedish Embassy are also partnering to honour Singapore Dads, an exhibition and photo competition.

Submissions for the "Singapore Dads" photo exhibition is held from Sept. 2 to 16 through the Facebook page of Embassy of Sweden in Singapore.

The contest and the photo exhibit will raise awareness of the role dads can play.

A total of 10 selected dads will win a professional photo shoot and have their portraits publicly displayed at a local gallery.

They will appear alongside those of "Swedish Dads" in a thought-provoking exhibition that has travelled the world.