Renfrewshire Council in Scotland has been awarded menopause-friendly accreditation as part of a commitment to make every employee feel valued, respected and able to thrive.
The accreditation, established by Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace, is achieved by demonstrating effectiveness across culture, policies and practices, training, engagement and working environment.
Three-quarters of the council’s 8,500 staff are female and the average age of employees is 46 years, so managing menopause in the workplace is of high importance to the organisation. It also has staff spread across multiple sites, including 64 schools, care facilities, council offices and community sites, so when designing support, it listened to what they needed to reach everyone with training, engagement and resources.
The council received accreditation due to its introduction of paid menopause leave, the launch of ‘Let’s Pause’ monthly get-togethers and the creation of accessible virtual learning events as part of its RenTalks Learning for Life sessions.
The RenTalks offer insight from expert speakers on a range of topics such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for managing symptoms. The sessions are recorded and available for all staff on the council’s e-learning platform.
Renfrewshire Council also aimed to normalise conversations, reduce stigma and encourage people to share their experiences, reinforcing organisational values and demonstrating investment in employee wellbeing.
Fiona Sinclair, organisational development advisor and menopause champion at Renfrewshire Council, said: “Receiving the accreditation is a great endorsement of our approach to looking after our employees’ wellbeing and helping everyone to be happy, healthy and productive at work. As our menopause champion, I’ve seen first-hand the difference it makes when people feel genuinely supported and listened to.
“Our senior leadership, managers, trade unions and elected members have backed this work wholeheartedly, not just in words but in real, practical action which has created a culture where compassion, understanding and inclusion truly matter. This accreditation recognises that shared effort but, for us, it’s not the end point. We’re constantly learning, improving and strengthening the support we offer to enhance the health and wellbeing of all our people.”
