Menopause Workplace Pledge — Wellbeing of Women's UK Employer Commitment Scheme

Launched in October 2021 by the charity Wellbeing of Women with corporate partner Bupa, the Menopause Workplace Pledge asks employers to publicly commit to supporting staff through the menopause, without imposing binding obligations or third-party audits.

Encourage employers to support employees through the menopause via flexible working, manager training and open conversation, responding to evidence that many women leave jobs over menopause symptoms.

Employers sign a voluntary public pledge; the charity and CIPD track signatory numbers and policy adoption; the UK government is moving the model from voluntary pledge to statutory duty under the Employment Rights Act 2025.

By June 2022, government figures put signatories above 1,000 organisations covering more than 11 million workers, including the UK Civil Service (262,670 women, 54% of its workforce). The share of employers with a menopause policy rose from 10% (2019) to 24% (2021/22, CIPD), while menopause-related employment tribunal claims more than tripled from 64 (2022) to 204 (2024).

The pledge demonstrates wide voluntary reach, but is self-reported with no verification of implementation and no independent study isolating its own causal effect from the broader rise in employer awareness; rising tribunal claims signal a growing problem more than proof the pledge is closing it. Large employers will be required to publish menopause action plans voluntarily from April 2026 and mandatorily from spring 2027.