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Boots, Innocent, Clipper Logistics, Simba, Marks & Spencer, Bravissimo, Odgers Berndtson and Modibodi, amongst others, have all joined as Founding Partners, pledging to better understand the needs of those going through the menopause and review how their policies, products and services can improve the menopause experience.
The first ever organisation of its kind, GenM was created to normalise and amplify the conversation around menopause by partnering with responsible brands to help them recognise and respond to the needs of perimenopausal and menopausal women, nonbinary and transgender people.
GenM’s groundbreaking Invisibility Report revealed that 97 per cent of menopausal women believe brands should work harder to cater for them, while a further 87 per cent feel overlooked by both companies and society.
Believing in the power of collective action, GenM is uniting some of the nation’s largest brands with huge platforms and wide customer bases, as well smaller brands and trailblazers in their fields, enabling them to work together to drive real change. Alongside the Founding Partners, GenM is calling on more responsible and forward-thinking companies from all sectors to take the GenM pledge and do their part to better understand and serve the menopause.
GenM recognises 48 symptoms and effects that the menopause has on women and others who experience it. 40 of these are medical and clinical effects such as headaches, heart palpitations and a higher risk of osteoporosis, whilst the Invisibility Report identified eight further credible impacts such as an increase in anxiety, panic attacks and depression.
The report also uncovered a distinct lack of support, education, and knowledge on the menopause, as well as the extent to which menopausal women in our society feel invisible. Despite being a fact of life that affects millions, three quarters of menopausal women feel that it is still a taboo subject that cannot be openly discussed.
By engaging and uniting brands in the menopause arena, GenM’s collective of Founding Partners will provide the holistic that people experiencing menopause seek in order to learn about this transition and build support systems that can help them own and control their menopause, their way.
Speaking about the report, Co-founder Heather Jackson said, “As our report shows, there is so much work to be done in raising awareness of the menopause and perimenopause as well as the symptoms, but this can only be done when everyone feels able to have open conversations about the change, free of stigma.”
“So many go into the menopause completely unprepared, but for many it’s the longest and hardest marathon of their lives.”
“No one would run a marathon in a pair of slippers, so why are we letting women enter this period so woefully unprepared, physically, emotionally and mentally?”
Aligning with the 5-point GenM Pledge, the Founding Partners will commit to a series of intentions, including being a voice for change and better representing the menopause in future products, services, signposting, campaigns, and workplace policies. In doing so, brands and organisations will take the important first steps towards a positive menopause revolution for the 15.5 million menopausal women in the UK, and 1 billion women worldwide.
Co-founder Sam Simister added, “We’re so pleased to have over 30 amazing brands, big and small, behind us on this journey, using their platforms to speak out for change.”
“It’s great to see so many people starting to champion the menopause right now and effecting change from the workplace to the media to the GP surgery.”
“But the menopause affects every aspect of life – it’s not just a medical issue or a workplace issue. Brands and organisations have a part to play in this too.”
“The menopause isn’t a gender concern per se, but a societal issue.”
“Even if we don’t experience it ourselves, we all know people who will, have or are going through the menopause now.”
“We are determined that nobody should have to face the change alone, and we all have a role to play in understanding how it affects people and how best to support those experiencing it.”
