We are proud to have been awarded the Menopause Friendly Accreditation, established by Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace, recognising high standards and proven practices which embrace menopause in the workplace.
In order to achieve the Menopause Friendly Accreditation, employers are assessed by an Independent Panel and must demonstrate evidence of their effectiveness in these six key areas: culture, policies and practices, training, engagement, facilities and evaluation.
Having undergone the Menopause Friendly Accreditation journey, we are especially proud to see the impact our Menopause Community Group has had by raising awareness internally - with menopause now openly spoken about - and by providing a private space for people to share their own stories, ask for advice and seek support. We are delighted to hear from colleagues that our work in this area has been helpful to them and, in some cases, has given them the knowledge and courage to take control of their own menopause journey and get the right help.
With our work being recognised externally, it is fantastic to be approached by others in the industry for help with embracing menopause in their workplace.
The importance of becoming Menopause Friendly
More than 60% of the workforce at Mewburn Ellis are women, making it incredibly important for us to help raise awareness of menopause in the firm and remove the taboo around the subject.
Appreciating that such a high proportion of our workforce could be experiencing menopausal symptoms was the initial motivational force behind us seeking to become Menopause Friendly. Realising that menopause has a far-reaching impact on how some colleagues feel about work, we were determined to establish an open and inclusive culture where people could speak about what they were experiencing whilst knowing that they would be understood and supported by their manager and wider team.
In gaining the accreditation, we have highlighted the decisions and actions taken to help us achieve our goal. We ensured there was support from a senior level and internal champions who were, and remain, keen and willing to raise awareness. Writing a policy was seen to be a great starting place but we know work should go beyond this to embed the subject and help it be openly talked about. This creates an open culture where people are not embarrassed to discuss it if it is affecting them.
Maria Hall, Mewburn Ellis Chief Commercial Officer and ESG Lead, comments:
“The Menopause Friendly Accreditation was important as the external assessment of our work and initiatives from a panel of experts demonstrated to our staff that we are committed to supporting people through menopause. We speak about menopause widely at events in our sector and the Accreditation further helps us to raise awareness, as well as our profile, on the topic."
“I couldn’t be prouder that Mewburn Ellis has become an accredited Menopause Friendly Employer. We’ve worked hard to make this a topic that is openly talked about and supported at our firm and we can see this working. We’re also starting to help others in our industry: I believe the more normalised and supported menopause can be the better."
Deborah Garlick, CEO of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace, comments:
“Mewburn Ellis should feel rightly proud at the initiatives they have undertaken to achieve this accreditation,” says Deborah Garlick, CEO of Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace. “Their desire for not only for wanting to help their workforce but to actively listen to them has helped establish an open and supportive environment. This is so important in getting menopause friendly practices embedded in the culture of a company with the creation of their Menopause Community Group a testament to their achieving this open environment.”
