When it comes to being menopause and menstruation friendly, there is no greater inspiration than seeing the impact of organisations and individuals who are truly committed to improving the lived experience of colleagues in the workplace.
Since launching the Menopause Friendly Employer Awards four years ago, I’ve witnessed extraordinary displays of commitment, ingenuity, leadership and courage from people determined to make change – not just for today, but for generations to come. Every year the bar rises higher and 2025 has shown the unstoppable enthusiasm of employers and individuals determined to create lifechanging support.
This year, our new format of embedding the 2025 Menopause & Menstruation Friendly Employer Awards in a day comprising speakers, panels and networking across three regional sites, brought a whole new level of knowledge sharing and community. Which is what the Menopause Friendly membership is all about. Of course we love a celebration of award-winning work, but what’s more important is to share those ideas, actions and best practice that have made such a positive impact on people’s lives. Coming together, learning from each other and offering support is where the magic happens…. as we all discovered!
Celebrating life-changing work
This year’s Menopause & Menstruation Friendly Employer Awards – powered by our headline sponsor Peppy – once again shone a light on those whose work has proved transformational. Our winners span both private and public sectors, from a high street bank, hospice and charity to county councils, a fire and rescue service and even a football club. That’s how diverse menopause friendly workplaces are and that’s truly exciting.
The Awards are now firmly established as an industry-recognised celebration of commitment and action. They showcase the organisations and individuals who are normalising menopause and menstruation in the workplace by providing practical solutions, resources and real cultural change.
Generous support making change possible
These Awards would not exist without the generosity and backing of our sponsors, partners and members. My heartfelt thanks go to our headline sponsor Peppy, along with Boots and No7 Beauty Company, British Airways, Mars, QVCUK, Standard Chartered and Menopace by Vitabiotics. We are also grateful for the support of BSI, CIPD, SOM and The Gym Group.
I am especially thankful to Standard Chartered, Boots and No7 Beauty Company and QVCUK for so generously hosting our events in London, Nottingham and Liverpool.
Together, our Awards events have now raised £217,000 for vital research and charities – including the University of Bournemouth’s work on menopause and autism, the Daisy Network, Menopause and Cancer and the PMDD Project. This achievement reflects the generosity of sponsors, guests, supporters and every single one of you in this community.
Honouring our 2025 winners
The independent panel faced a tougher task than ever before with record entries and an exceptional standard of work. In some categories, joint winners were named because the judges simply could not separate the impact being made.
This year’s winners and highly commended organisations and individuals include:
Menopause Friendly Employer of the Year (private sector):
- Winner: HSBC UK (including first direct and M&S Bank)
Menopause Friendly Employer of the Year (public sector):
- Joint winner: London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust;
- Joint winner: Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
- Highly Commended – AtkinsRéalis | Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service
Most Open Culture – Menopause Friendly:
- Winner: AtkinsRéalis
- Highly Commended: AMEX GBT | Battersea | City of Wolverhampton Council
Most Open Culture – Menstruation Friendly:
- Joint winners: Lloyds Banking Group | The Huddersfield Town Association Football Club Limited
Most Menopause Friendly Working Environment:
- Joint winners: Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service | Mars UK Ltd
- Highly Commended: Kent Police
Best Engagement Campaign:
- Winner: Alzheimer’s Society
- Highly Commended: HSBC UK (including first direct and M&S Bank) | Specsavers Optical Superstores
Best Trained Workforce:
- Winner: Young Epilepsy and St Piers
- Highly Commended: Manchester City Council | Leicestershire County Council
Best Peer-to-Peer Support:
- Winner: Santander
- Highly Commended: Alzheimer’s Society | London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust | Young Epilepsy and St Piers | Northumbria Police
Carolyn Lazarus Award (individual impact) – Winners:
- Mandy Baughurst from Leicestershire County Council
- Melanie Redfern from AtkinsRéalis
- Sally Busby from Southeastern Railway
- Hayley Douglas from Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service
Looking ahead
I am so proud of what the Menopause Friendly community has achieved. The Awards remind us that lasting change comes from collective effort – and thanks to your commitment, workplaces are being transformed for colleagues today and generations to come.
To all our members, organisations, sponsors and colleagues – thank you. Without you, none of this progress would be possible.
