National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of ISO 45010:2026. It supersedes BS 30416:2023, which is withdrawn.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee HS/1, Occupational health and safety management.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its committee manager.

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication has been prepared in good faith, however no representation, warranty, assurance or undertaking (express or implied) is or will be made, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by BSI in relation to the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of this publication. All and any such responsibility and liability is expressly disclaimed to the full extent permitted by the law.

This publication is provided as is, and is to be used at the recipient’s own risk.

The recipient is advised to consider seeking professional guidance with respect to its use of this publication.

This publication is not intended to constitute a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 30 September 2026.

Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.

The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).

ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a) patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a) patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are cautioned that this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database available at www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

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For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.

This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 283, Occupational health and safety management.

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

Introduction

0.1 General

This document can assist organizations in developing and embedding supportive structures, policies and practices for menstruation and menopause, and by extension, for menstrual and menopausal health. The practical workplace adjustments and activities recommended in this document promote inclusive workplaces and complement good practice in workplace well-being, occupational health and safety (see ISO 45001) and gender inclusion in the workplace (see ISO 53800).

Menstruation and menopause are not medical conditions but life course experiences (see Clauses A.1 and A.2). For many workers, the experience of menstruation and menopause is managed independently and privately without the need for additional support by organizations. However, organizations can introduce workplace adjustments, supportive mechanisms and policies that reduce stigma and make a significant and positive difference to workers.

Providing a supportive and inclusive workplace environment around menstruation and menopause can have significant positive effects for worker engagement and job satisfaction, and a more inclusive and culturally safe workplace environment for all. A lack of knowledge, understanding or support for menstruation or menopause and their associated symptoms can lead to challenges including presenteeism, absenteeism, disengagement and additional or increased turnover costs.

This document can assist employers and organizations, senior leaders, supervisors, human resource professionals (HR), occupational health and safety (OH&S) professionals, onsite healthcare professionals, well-being and diversity and inclusion (D&I) practitioners, and architects and interior designers responsible for workspace construction and refurbishment. It can also support workers who are responsible for managing individuals’ performances, workloads, well-being or work environments.

NOTE 1 Further information on menstrual and menopausal health can be found in Annex A.

NOTE 2 Further information on how this document complements ISO 45001 can be found in Annex G.

NOTE 3 See also ISO 25551 for guidance on generating a carer-inclusive workplace and ISO 25550 for guidance on generating an age-inclusive work environment.

NOTE 4 While this document does not consider andropause in the workplace, many of its recommendations can also support workers experiencing andropause.

0.2 Why start addressing this topic now?

By 2030, over 1,2 billion women worldwide will be menopausal or postmenopausal,^[17^] and 1,8 billion women menstruate every month,^[18^] meaning a significant number of workers are or will experience menstruation and menopause while in the workplace. While gender parity in labour force participation varies across different economies, it is often the case that women are expected to fit into modes of working and cultural expectations that were historically designed at a time when women were not equally represented or prioritized as workers.

Symptoms associated with menstruation and menopause can also coincide with significant life challenges and responsibilities, and research has shown that stress and symptoms associated with menopause are closely linked. For example, symptoms associated with menstruation and menopause can occur when workers are also dealing with stressors such as other health conditions, fertility issues, pregnancy loss, deaths of significant others, managing childcare and care for older parents, children leaving home, financial constraints, relationship breakdown or other significant life events.

Promoting and supporting the health of workers brings multiple benefits to organizations, such as reducing occupational risks and absences. By fostering inclusivity, supporting worker well-being, and eliminating discrimination, organizations can also enhance their reputation and attract a diverse workforce.

Workers can experience menstrual or menopausal symptoms which can impact their experience of work and can cause them to leave an unsupportive work environment. Symptoms experienced in an unsupportive environment can also contribute to underemployment or working fewer hours, which can impact their career trajectories, promotional prospects and financial security in later life.

Implementing good practice around supporting menstruation and menopause in the workforce also benefits organizations by:

increasing worker engagement;
improving the health and well-being of workers and boosting their healthy working life expectancy;
improving leadership cultures by generating more awareness amongst all managers;
improving diversity and inclusion objectives by preventing high turnover in organizations due to inadequate, unsupportive or inflexible working conditions;
attracting a diverse workforce, increasing worker retention, and reducing the financial costs of attrition, recruitment and training;
helping to comply with occupational health expectations from suppliers and buyers.

0.3 Questions this document can help to address

Table 1 identifies the elements of this document which address key areas around menstruation and menopause.

1 Scope

This document gives guidance to organizations on developing policies and practices that are supportive of workers’ menstrual and menopausal health and experiences in the workplace.

This document is applicable to any organization regardless of size or sector and can be adapted to individual business needs.

This document does not apply to medical guidance or clinical options outside of the workplace. However, it does include reference to qualified sources where such information is available.

This document does not apply to andropause.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 Introduction to menstruation and menopause at work

Menstruation and menopause are part of healthy biological processes but there is still a social stigma around them, and the topics are frequently avoided and concealed within society. This can cause some workers to struggle in silence. Workplace cultures where menstrual and menopausal health are openly discussed enable workers and organizations to work collaboratively to identify appropriate support or workplace adjustments that enable workers to perform at their best.

Knowledge of menstruation and menopause is often culturally bound and subject to stigma. This can result in workers feeling ashamed to discuss the subject, or apprehensive about discussing it, in their organization. Menstruation and menopause are also subject to misconceptions (see Annex F). Menstruation and menopause are unique to each worker in terms of the experience of symptoms and their frequency and severity, which can change over a worker’s life or journey through menopause, which can happen over several years. Furthermore, diverse needs and experiences of menstruation and menopause linked to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and neurodivergence are often neglected (see Clause A.4).

References to menstruation and menopause in the workplace are uncommon. When they do appear, they often take the form of discussions, conversations or policies that assume physical, emotional and psychological symptoms are severe and negative. This focus can contribute to stigma and perpetuate taboos.

There is a two-way relationship between work and menstruation/menopause. Symptoms can impact how workers experience work and at times can influence worker engagement and turnover. In addition, workplace environments such as the type of the work, job demands and perceptions of managerial support^[19^] can impact the experience of symptom frequency and severity. Given that symptoms can change over time, this can require considerations for working patterns, uniforms and equipment, and other workplace provisions. Anticipating these changes can ensure workers remain comfortable, safe and able to perform their roles effectively.

There are several simple workplace adjustments which can help workers to be more comfortable when experiencing symptoms while working. Clause 5 gives guidance on potential workplace adjustments, practical actions and support options. It is possible that organizations already have some support mechanisms in place that can be sensitized to include references to menstruation and menopause.

When workers need support at work, managers should be advised to seek guidance from other available sources. This may include HR or OH&S practitioners, a trained menstruation and menopause representative, trade union or workers’ council representatives and/or resources from professional and reputable external providers. Annex B provides a toolkit to support HR and managers.

In those cases where symptoms are severe enough to significantly disrupt someone’s working life, it is possible that there is an underlying condition. Existing medical conditions which can also be exacerbated by menstrual or menopausal symptoms, requiring additional support in line with other long-term medical conditions. Some workers potentially conceal or supress their discomfort. Others do not always realize that their symptoms can be helped by medical or healthcare support or are unaware of signs of an underlying menstrual condition or menopause.

NOTE Some medical conditions involve a lack of menstruation, which can cause a worker to lack awareness regarding their menopause status. However, it is possible that they can be experiencing symptoms of menopause. Annex A provides additional information on health-related aspects of menstruation and menopause.

The flowchart in Figure 1 can assist organizations to review what existing support can be introduced, adapted or improved for workers who are experiencing menstrual or menopausal symptoms.

Organizations should be aware that stressors in the workplace environment related to specific job roles and/or workplace cultures can worsen symptoms. Possible stressors include an accumulation of occupational psychosocial stress, experiencing gender, racial or other forms of discrimination, being bullied, and pre-existing medical conditions such as a back or repetitive strain injury. Workers can experience a combination of different stressors. Workers who are navigating new job roles, promotions and/or decision-making responsibilities can experience additional challenges. Being proactive in identifying areas of risk and opportunity and introducing remedial actions that are worker-centric and holistic are likely to result in better work environments for all.

It is important for organizations to recognize that menopause can have an impact on workers in all roles and levels of work. Organizations should avoid making assumptions about the experience of menopause and the age at which menopause can be experienced.

5 Practical actions

5.1 General

5.2 Physical aspects of work

5.3 Policy guidance and practice

5.4 Supportive workplace cultures

5.5 Job design

5.6 Disclosure and privacy relating to menstruation and menopause at work

5.7 Inclusivity in menstruation and menopause at work

5.8 Considerations for small and medium-sized enterprises

5.9 Evaluation and metrics

Bibliography