Global efforts to combat period poverty have surged since 2017, with governments worldwide being urged to provide free period products in schools. This movement began in Scotland in 2017 and has since spread across the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, France, New Zealand, and Australia. Today, millions of school students globally have access to period products at school—a powerful and practical change aimed at reducing period poverty and addressing the anxiety, shame, and stigma associated with periods and menstrual health.
The rapid adoption of mandated period products in schools globally highlights the crucial role of government jurisdiction in driving meaningful change for women+. Period products should be considered essential washroom consumables, akin to soap and hand towels. However, in other sectors such as tertiary institutions, workplaces, and public spaces, the uptake varies globally, and engagement remains lower.
Workplaces have been more conservative in implementing free period products, often weighing the costs against the return on investment. Many workplaces have yet to realize that providing free period products is comparable to offering coffee from a coffee machine. The average annual cost to provide products per menstruator is less than $20 – a small expense that is easily outweighed by the benefits.
Recent research on the impacts of free period care, particularly in the workplace, was conducted and involved surveying 1000 women and 200 men across Australia. The findings were as follows:
- 87% have gotten their period unexpectedly at work
- 76% of employees reported not having access to period care products at work when they needed them
- 83% of women have had a bad experience with their period at work
- 58% had missed an important meeting or event due to their period
Menstrual health, along with the taboo and stigma surrounding periods, affects the daily lives of many women+. As society progresses, there will inevitably be a growing expectation for workplaces to provide free period products. In many countries and jurisdictions, students attend school knowing they have access to period products. As these students complete their education and enter the workforce, they will strongly expect organisations to follow suit and provide period products.
There are numerous positive benefits associated with providing accessible period care. Recent research indicates:
- 90% of employees with access to free period care at work report feeling valued, supported, and cared for
- 87% feel proud of their workplace for providing free period care
- 81% feel less anxious and more at ease
- 78% experience improved work satisfaction and motivation
The Period Program mission is to make period products at work a non-negotiable and standard workplace inclusion—just as accessible as a cup of coffee. Normalising access to these products in the workplace has the potential to enhance productivity and elevate your business as an employer of choice, all while supporting the health and wellbeing of women+.
There are now simple dispensing solutions available that can be installed and serviced like any other washroom product. Introducing this concept brings conversations about periods into the mainstream—a practice that is set to soon become a standard washroom inclusion.
If you’d like to find out more about the Libra Period Positivity Program or what’s involved in making positive change for your people, please speak to your Bunzl or Tork representative.
