New Government ambassador for menopause employment Mariella Frostrup has spotlighted ‘meno-washing’ – what is it and why does it matter?
Be vigilant of menopause messaging and ask questions.
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British-Norwegian journalist and TV presenter Mariella Frostrup has been chosen as the Government’s new ambassador for menopause employment.
A committed menopause campaigner, Frostrup co-wrote Cracking the Menopause: While Keeping Yourself Together with Alice Smellie and also fronted The Truth About…The Menopause documentary on BBC One.
She is also the chair of the group Menopause Mandate which aims to support and advise women.
The broadcaster, who is a regular panellist on ITV’s Loose Women, appeared in front of a parliamentary committee last year and suggested that the then-government could be “meno-washing” rather than taking real action on menopause and women’s rights.
But what does meno-washing actually mean? And what is its context with the consumer and workplace spheres?
Meno-washing in the workplace
“In an employment law context, meno-washing is when an employer makes superficial promises so that they appear to support women experiencing the menopause when, in reality, they do not follow through with what they have said that they will do,” explains Kate Palmer, employment services director at Peninsula.
In other words, all talk and no action.
“Meno-washing can manifest as companies promoting menopause-related products or support systems while lacking genuine policies or programs that support women experiencing menopause,” notes David Ward, a partner in the employment team at Blacks Solicitors. “This can include offering misleading wellness programs or resources that don’t adequately address the challenges faced by employees during this life stage.”
Ward adds that this “performative behaviour” allows businesses to tick inclusivity boxes and/or boost its reputation. “Those employers who simply put a policy in place, put up a poster or make an announcement are sadly mistaken if they think that’ll do the job,” says Deborah Garlick, CEO and founder of Henpicked: Menopause In The Workplace. “We’ve still a lot to do before we know all employees are supported in all organisations and it takes time and meaningful action to change the culture and lived experience of those working through their menopause and beyond.”
Palmer says that organisations need to put an emphasis on training managers and to not only have discussions with employees to understand what support they would find useful, but then also take action to put that in place.
Garlick adds that the Menopause Friendly Accreditation is a good measure of success as it assesses outcomes across policies and practices, awareness and education and workplace support.
Meno-washing by consumer brands
Meno-washing has permeated the menopausal market, inundating women with a multitude of products promising relief from symptoms.
“Meno-washing also refers to the marketing practice where companies promote products aimed at women experiencing menopause in a way that is misleading or exploitative,” explains Ward. “Companies will use the menopause as a marketing strategy.
[Chief scientist at the Zoe nutrition project] “Dr Sarah Berry recently stated, ‘If you stick the word meno in front of the product you can double the price and sell more.’
“It often involves using language or imagery that suggests genuine care and understanding of menopausal challenges, while the actual products may not effectively address those needs or may overpromise results.”
Many consumer brands see the menopause market as a huge retail opportunity, as shoppers of this age tend to have disposable income and are often desperately searching for quick-fix solution to their symptoms.
It’s often difficult for consumers to spot the signs of this, but doing your research and asking the right questions will help.
“Looking for products backed by genuine science, research, reviews and ingredients shown to have positive effects on women suffering during menopause is the way around this,” says Wizz Selvey, co-founder of perimenopausal supplement brand Valerie. “Asking questions of brands, on social media, email or researching their experts, is a surefire way to spot something that’s not deeply connected to helping. “