John Lewis wins menopause friendly employer accreditation

John Lewis has been accredited by the Menopause Friendly’s independent panel of experts for creating inclusive workplace support for its female employees.

The UK’s largest employee-owned business, which employs over 42,000 women, has introduced a support package for Partners at all stages of the menopause. This includes guidance for managers, nutrition and health information and advice, access to free mental health support and support from our in-house occupational health and wellbeing team.

In a statement, John Lewis said: "For far too long the menopause has been a taboo subject in society. We want to create a level playing field, so that the menopause doesn’t hold women back at an age when many are at the peak of their career. To achieve this we’re creating an environment in which women and their managers feel comfortable talking about it, so that we can offer support."

In addition, the company has also updated its policies on flexible working and taking time off work with "dedicated support available to Partners experiencing the menopause".

Commenting on her own experience, Lene Wood, a Partner at John Lewis’ Kingston store, said: “I began to notice a huge change in how I was feeling in my mid 50s, and thought that other Partners might be going through similar, so I started a monthly ‘#HotFlushChat’. It was a support space where Partners affected by the menopause could come and speak openly about how they were feeling and share helpful tips.

"It’s great to see that the business is doing so much to support those affected by the menopause, including an informative menopause site, health practitioners to talk to and a flexible policy to support and retain Partners.”

Jog Hundle, Menopause Friendly Independent Panel Member, added: “We’re delighted to see the John Lewis Partnership achieve our Menopause Friendly Accreditation. Their application was outstanding and they’ve made such a difference for their colleagues. They set clear objectives to create a movement to normalise menopause, with strong senior leadership support. They’ve demonstrated excellent menopause awareness, education and support within their organisation, creating a culture where menopause is easy to talk about and support is available. Well done to everyone involved.”