Chwarae Teg leads the way with first menopause accreditation in Wales

Gender equality charity Chwarae Teg has become the first organisation in Wales to be awarded The Menopause Friendly Accreditation, for its commitment to providing menopause support to its staff.

The Menopause Friendly Accreditation, established by Henpicked: Menopause in the Workplace, reflects the wide-ranging resources, support and knowledge sharing that Chwarae Teg provides within the organisation.

The charity has rolled out a number of active measures including monthly lunchtime ‘online menopause cafes’ to increase awareness and share information. Alongside this, its Intranet has a dedicated area for news, information and sharing personal experiences, plus there is a Teams channel where staff are encouraged to give tips and ask questions.

They also had staff who volunteered to undertake training as Menopause Champions to ensure that those experiencing menopause symptoms felt confident to discuss them and fully supported. As well as this, there was training for line managers to provide the best guidance for staff.

This is backed up by the document ‘Menopause: A Support Guide for Everyone’, created by Chwarae Teg, which provides a vital resource of information about the menopause including details on symptoms and how to ask for support and reasonable adjustments in the workplace.

All information relating to Menopause Champions, the menopause guidance document and the resources are now shared as part of Chwarae Teg’s HR induction for new employees.

Deborah Garlick, CEO of Henpicked – Menopause in the Workplace, said: “A huge congratulations to Chwarae Teg on becoming Wales’ first accredited Menopause Friendly Employer. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to achieve this industry-recognised and independently accredited status. Our Independent Panel thought Chwarae Teg’s application was excellent, it went above and beyond and gave insightful comments from staff who have clearly benefited from the knowledge and support the organisation provides.”

Cheryl Royall, Career Development Partner who has led Chwarae Teg’s work towards The Menopause Friendly Accreditation, said: “I am incredibly proud of our achievement and the work we have done to accomplish our aim of being recognised and accredited as a menopause friendly employer. The fact that we are the first organisation in Wales to do so, makes the news extra special. It has been a real team effort and I am delighted that it has resulted in our application exceeding expectations for an accreditation. That’s incredibly meaningful and really reflects the work we do inside and outside the organisation.

“Normalising the discussion around menopause in workplaces is essential and I’d encourage all employers to do the same. Small changes can make a big difference, like providing desk fans when needed and removing unnecessary dress codes so that colleagues are able to wear whatever clothing is comfortable for them.

“Chwarae Teg’s mission is rooted in celebrating and fighting for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Wales. As such, working towards The Menopause Friendly Accreditation has further supported us as an organisation to continue to create an equitable workplace for all our staff.”

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See more about The Menopause Friendly Accreditation at www.menopausefriendly.co.uk