Tea, coffee & toilet roll are provided in most workplaces, but what about free period care products?
There’s still a lot of work to be done to ensure menstrual health is properly supported in the workplace. That’s why, at TOTM, we pioneered our Period Positive Workplace Scheme, making organic cotton period care available across more than 22,000 sites in the UK.
We believe no one should have to be caught short at work. By making free period care readily available in workplace bathrooms, employers can help reduce stigma and promote period dignity and support. Yet, despite how simple this step can be, accessible period care still isn’t the norm in every workplace. Too often, it’s treated as a nice-to-have rather than an essential part of employee wellbeing.
But change is on the horizon, and we’re here to tell you all about it.
Published in September 2026, ISO 45010 provides practical guidance for organisations of all sizes on supporting menstrual and menopausal health at work. From providing access to period products and developing supportive workplace policies to offering flexible working arrangements and appropriate adjustments, it helps employers identify meaningful steps they can take to create a more supportive working environment.
Why ISO 45010 matters.
Menstrual and menopausal health in the workplace needs to be recognised and supported more than ever. In our menstrual matters at work survey (2024) 70% of people said that they are caught short at work with no period provisions in their workplace bathrooms to help them. Additionally 66% of employees say they are more likely to stay with their current employer if they introduced policies and practices that supported menstrual health. That isn’t a statistic to ignore.
In research published by You Gov in 2017, 35% of employees had to leave work early or take time off from work due to period related discomfort, highlighting the impact menstrual health can have on people’s ability to work and the importance of creating supportive workplaces where employees have access to the period care and support they need.
By supporting your employees with menstrual and menopausal health, you can help create a workplace where people feel understood, supported and able to do their best, without their health becoming a barrier to feeling comfortable and confident at work.
Spring 2027 Action Plan
There’s also a significant change on the horizon for larger employers. From spring 2027, organisations with 250 or more employees are expected to publish a Gender Equality Action Plan, setting out the steps they’re taking to improve gender equality at work, including actions to support employees experiencing menopause.
While this requirement is focused on gender equality, it presents an important opportunity for businesses to look more broadly at how they support menstrual health, too. And smaller organisations shouldn’t feel this is something they can ignore. By taking practical steps now, such as making period care accessible, introducing supportive policies and helping managers feel confident discussing menstrual health, businesses of all sizes can help create a more inclusive workplace.
What Does This Mean For Your Workplace?
Take a look at the changes you can start implementing in your workplace today. Many are simple, practical steps that can make a real difference. ISO 45010 outlines key recommendations to help organisations better support menstrual health at work, which we’ve summarised below.
✅Allow Easy Access to Facilities
Adequate water, sanitation, hygiene, and privacy.
✅Provide Free Period Care Such As TOTM
Complimentary period care in workplace bathrooms including women’s, gender neutral, accessible bathrooms. This helps to prevent unplanned absences, presenteeism, and caught short moments.
✅Create Supportive Policies
Such as allowing flexible attendance, uniform adjustments, symptom-related absence accommodation.
✅Provide Education & Training
Equip managers to support employees with empathy and reduce stigma. At TOTM we have our very own Menstrual and Menopause health e-learning training which is a great option to get started.
✅Integration
Embed into safety management systems to boost retention, productivity, and inclusion.
To make things even easier, we’ve created a handy, downloadable toolkit covering everything you need to know about ISO 45010 and the upcoming Gender Equality Action Plan requirements expected from spring 2027 for organisations with 250 or more employees. Inside, you’ll find practical steps to help you get started, alongside free policy and action plan templates to help you put meaningful changes into practice.
What Is Coming Up Next: ISO/TC 338
The first global standard for menstrual product safety and quality is currently in development, with ISO/TC 338 developing standards for manufactured menstrual products.
Products like kitchen sponges have established safety standards, yet menstrual products still don’t have an equivalent global standard for safety and quality.
With ISO/TC 338 working towards the first global standard for menstrual products, change is on the horizon.
The new ISO/TC 338 aims to:
- improve safety and performance (of period care)
- increase global access to products
- support better information for users
- encourage open conversations about menstruation
So when you are implementing free period care in your bathrooms it’s also worth keeping in mind what type of period care you decide to stock in your bathrooms. At TOTM our period care is 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, no toxins, no fragrances, pesticides or any unnecessary chemicals. We’re committed to product safety, quality and transparency. Because better period care shouldn’t have to wait for a standard.
