Insurance firm Axa UK has introduced free, environmentally friendly period products in female and gender-neutral washrooms across its UK offices, to help end period poverty and remove the stigma around the subject of menstruation.
Through a partnership with social enterprise Hey Girls, which aims to eradicate period poverty in the UK, the business carried out trials in its Teesside, Bristol and Bolton offices, which gained positive feedback. The products were then made available throughout all UK offices, in order to support employee wellbeing in a sustainable way.
According to Axa, it made the decision to do this as part of its commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion, and its robust agenda that goes beyond the Protected Characteristics of the Equality Act 2010.
Zoe Ashdown, head of people engagement, culture and strategy at Axa UK, said: “We are very proud to be working with Hey Girls to help end period poverty and remove the stigma around periods. Supporting the wellbeing of our employees is a top priority and we are pleased to offer this solution in a sustainable way.”
Daisy Williams, partner and contracts manager at Hey Girls, added: “Providing their teams with free period products not only shows a commitment to their workforce, but their support to make the UK a fairer place to live for all people who have periods.”
Employee Benefits will host a free webinar tomorrow (Wednesday 7 December), titled How important is women’s health at work? in association with Peppy. Set to be broadcast live at 11am, the webinar will be hosted by Employee Benefits’ editor Debbie Lovewell-Tuck, who will be joined by a panel of experts to discuss a wide variety of health-related issues, life events and physical changes women will experience during their working lives.
Viewers will be able to submit their questions to the panel throughout the event.