How some of Britain’s biggest chains are backing The Sun’s Menopause Matters campaign
POWERHOUSE companies yesterday backed The Sun’s Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign. Large firms including the Nationwide Building Society and pub chain Young’s have promised to do more. We have been calling on businesses to better support women through the menopause — the time in their life when periods stop and hormone levels fall — to ensure […]
POWERHOUSE companies yesterday backed The Sun’s Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.
Large firms including the Nationwide Building Society and pub chain Young’s have promised to do more.
We have been calling on businesses to better support women through the menopause — the time in their life when periods stop and hormone levels fall — to ensure talented employees are not lost from the workforce.
The menopause forces up to one in eight women to leave their jobs, while others take time off, opt for early retirement or pass up promotions because of difficult symptoms.
Dozens of big businesses have got on board to support our campaign, including John Lewis, Morrisons, Co-op, Severn Trent, Aviva, Hargreaves Lansdown, Sky, M&S, Diageo, Dermalogica and Estée Lauder.
Their backing comes as our exclusive survey for the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign found that women usually first notice symptoms around the age of 47, 18 years before the accepted retirement age.
It means millions of women face brain fog, anxiety, hot flushes, memory loss and other debilitating symptoms at work.
Jane Hanson, chief people officer at Nationwide, told The Sun: “We will provide colleagues with the support they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability.
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“We are proud to back the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign to raise awareness and to support people in the workplace experiencing the menopause.”
Workshops, training and open conversations are just some of the ways companies can support their staff.
Leading pub chain Young’s welcomed the “fantastic” campaign for highlighting vital issues as it pledged “to improve the support women receive in the workplace”.
Fabulous columnist and TV favourite Karren Brady said: “Supporting women through the many symptoms is both good for employees and for business.
“It is crucial to get more companies talking openly.”
Women over 50 are the fastest-growing group in work, numbering 4.3million.
Inji Duducu, people director at Morrisons, said: “This issue has been overlooked. We are delighted to support the campaign.”
Women leaving work or stepping back from promotion contributes to the gender pay gap, which is at its widest for people over 50.
While many large corporations are working to stamp out the taboo that still surrounds menopause at work, there are thousands more which need to step up and make change.
Liv Garfield, CEO at water firm Severn Trent, said: “Half of us will go through it, and we know it makes aspects of working harder.”
Aviva’s Danny Harmer added: “Menopause is not just a women’s issue — it’s everyone’s issue.”
- Pledge to join the campaign and introduce policies at your workplace by emailing fabulous@fabulousmag.co.uk.
Fabulous Menopause Matters
An estimated one in five of the UK’s population are currently experiencing it.
Yet the menopause is still whispered in hush tones like it’s something to be embarrassed about.
The stigma attached to the transition means women have been suffering in silence for centuries.
The Sun are determined to change that, launching the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign to give the taboo a long-awaited kick, and get women the support they need.
The campaign has three aims:
- To make HRT free in England
- To get every workplace to have a menopause policy to provide support
- To bust taboos around the menopause
The campaign has been backed by a host of influential figures including Baroness Karren Brady CBE, celebrities Lisa Snowdon, Jane Moore, Michelle Heaton, Zoe Hardman, Saira Khan, Trisha Goddard, as well as Dr Louise Newson, Carolyn Harris MP, Jess Phillips MP, Caroline Nokes MP and Rachel Maclean MP.
Exclusive research commissioned by Fabulous, which surveyed 2,000 British women aged 45-65 who are going through or have been through the menopause, found that 49% of women suffered feelings of depression, while 7% felt suicidal while going through the menopause.
50% of respondents said there is not enough support out there for menopausal women, which is simply not good enough. It’s time to change that.