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 commit publicly to supporting employees through the menopause — via flexible working, manager training and open conversation — without imposing binding obligations or third-party audits.
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). CIPD surveys tracked the backdrop this responded to: 6% of women aged 40-60 report having left a job due to menopause symptoms, a further 17% considered leaving, and the share of employers with a menopause policy rose from 10% (2019) to 24% (2021/22).
The pledge is voluntary and self-reported, with no verification of what signatories actually implement, and employment tribunal claims citing menopause more than tripled from 64 (2022) to 204 (2024) — evidence of a rising problem more than proof the pledge itself is closing it. The UK is now moving from voluntary pledge to statutory duty: the Employment Rights Act 2025 will require large employers to publish menopause action plans, voluntarily from April 2026 and mandatorily from spring 2027.

Read the full analysis: https://www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk/menopause-workplace-pledge/