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    • Case Study
      Health & Safety

    Addressing Menstrual Equity in the Workplace with Oxford Brookes University

    Empowering employees to seek support and challenge taboos.

    Testimonial

    “Witnessing the university's proactive steps in addressing menstrual health and promoting equity among its staff and students is truly inspiring.” 

    Electra Dottin Executive Office Assistant at OBU and Alumni
    Colleagues working together

    Breaking barriers to menstrual equity

    Oxford Brookes University (OBU) wanted to encourage conversations surrounding menstrual health and offer support to those impacted on campus.

    OBU had already taken steps to raise awareness of menopause in the workplace. Expanding its focus to include menstrual equity, it aimed to highlight barriers to access for menstrual products and secure funding for campus-wide initiatives.

    The Challenge

    Tackling menstrual health taboos in the workplace

    The Menstrual Equity and Menopause Group was formed within Oxford Brookes University to support staff and students impacted by menstrual health and menopause. In 2023, BSI invited the group to help develop BS 30416, a standard for addressing the issue of menstrual equity in the workplace. In integrating the standard across the organization, OBU needed to ensure any actions taken or communication aligned with the university's core values of sustainability and inclusivity.

    The Solution

    Inspiring inclusive conversations with a lasting impact

    The adoption of BS 30416 allowed OBU to better structure its efforts, gain stakeholder support and introduce further initiatives to support menstrual equity across its campus. This empowered staff, students and members of the local community to openly discuss their experiences with menstrual health and menopause, fostering a broader societal shift towards an inclusive, supportive approach to the topic within workplaces and beyond.

    Read full case study

    Driving change with meaningful action

    BSI's standard helped OBU identify and action a number of recommendations designed to better support staff and students, including:

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      Partnered with Time of the Month (TOTM) to distribute ethical period care products across campus.

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      Created a period product map to help students and staff locate nearby collection points.

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      Collaborated with All Yours Period Box CIC to establish a local donation system for period products.

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      Continued to plan and hold menstrual health events, launching a website with further resources.

    Shaping a future of menstrual equity for all

    BS 30416 empowered OBU staff and students facing issues related to menstrual health and menopause to speak up and access support at a crucial time:

    • 85% of respondents to a UK survey experience stress or anxiety when managing their periods at work.

      Find out more

    • Only 12% of organizations provide support for menstruation and menstrual health.

      Find out more

    • Addressing the women’s health gap could boost the global economy by $1 trillion annually by 2040.

      Find out more
    Testimonial

    “OBU’s sessions were very informative. It was good to know about the toolkits for managers - and to learn that there is support out there for us, too.” 

    Attendee Quote taken at OBU-led menstrual health event, April 2023
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    Why BSI

    Providing expertise to make workplace policy inclusive and impactful

    BSI partners with organizations globally to help them address critical societal issues such as menstrual equity and gender inclusivity, accelerating progress towards a fairer, more sustainable world.

    Download the standard
    Contact Us

    Create a thriving workplace with effective well-being measures

    Discover how support for menstruation and menopause can boost employee engagement and empower business performance.

    Get in touch
    Get in touch