University of Birmingham Business School is first to sign Menopause Workplace Pledge

smiling woman — The University of Birmingham Business School is committed to creating a supportive and understanding place for staff and students going through menopause.

Women over 50 are the fastest-growing demographic in the workplace. But research has shown that 10% of women leave their jobs and many more are reducing their hours or passing up promotions because of their menopausal symptoms. Three in four women experience menopause symptoms and one in four have severe symptoms.

Signing the Menopause Workplace Pledge on World Menopause Day, 18 October 2022, the University of Birmingham Business School has committed to making their organisation a supportive and understanding place for staff and students going through menopause including by:

Recognising that menopause can be an issue in the workplace and women need support
Talking openly, positively, and respectfully about menopause, which has already begun with the launch of Menopause cafes
Actively supporting and informing your employees affected by menopause

We are proud to sign the Menopause Workplace Pledge. The pledge confirms Birmingham Business School’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where all students and staff feel respected, supported, and valued."
Dr Liza Jabbour - Birmingham Business School

The University of Birmingham Business School has a long tradition of supporting businesses to act more responsibly through their research, and are proud to take the lead as a responsible and supportive workplace for all staff.

Signing the pledge builds on the School’s existing research on the experience of older women in the workplace, including how employers can help prevent menopause discrimination.

Dr Liza Jabbour, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion lead for the School, said: “We are proud to sign the Menopause Workplace Pledge. The pledge confirms Birmingham Business School’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where all students and staff feel respected, supported, and valued. The Menopause Workplace Pledge will become one of the central pillars of our Responsible Business Values and as such is already reflected in the research of the School. The Menopause Workplace Pledge will play an important role in the School’s continuous effort to promote gender equality and to develop the career of women in higher education, as recognised by our Athena Swan Bronze Award.”

For media enquiries please contact: Niamh McGurk on 07309 029702 or n.m@lodestonecommunications.com

The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 6,500 international students from over 150 countries.

Birmingham Business School: One of the oldest and largest business schools, Birmingham Business School has always been at the forefront of progressive change. Its research and teaching covers almost every aspect of business and is strong in many aspects of work.

Birmingham Business School helps workplaces become more diverse and inclusive. It pioneers sustainable finance and environmental accounting as well as supports responsible approaches to global supply chain. The school champions responsible marketing, developing responsible business, behavioural and environmental economics as well as a key focus on innovation in responsible data science, analytics and digital transformation.

Birmingham Business School, along with just a handful of the world’s business schools, hold the gold standard of ‘triple-crown’ accreditation from the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), AMBA (Association of MBAs) and EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU_f-NIO-kU

Menopause Workplace Pledge: Led by the charity Wellbeing of Women, the campaign is drumming up support from all employers across all sectors up and down the country

If people affected by menopause feel supported at work, it can help to increase staff retention, reduce recruitment costs, improve productivity, happiness and wellbeing, and ensure a more diverse workforce.

In signing the Menopause Workplace Pledge, employers commit to:

Recognising that the menopause can be an issue in the workplace and women need support
Talking openly, positively and respectfully about the menopause
Actively supporting and informing your employees affected by the menopause

Other employers that have signed the pledge include the House of Commons, the BBC and the Royal Mail. High-profile supporters include Royal Patron HRH The Countess of Wessex, Ambassadors Baroness Karren Brady, Carol Vorderman and Dr Nighat Arif, as well as President of the CPI Lord Karan Bilimoria, Caroline Nokes and Carolyn Harris MPs.

Notes for editors