Brands
- 70% of respondents felt there weren’t enough products available for people experiencing menstrual cycle–related issues.
- 100% of the 60 women’s health brands surveyed by the Center for Intimacy Justice experienced ad rejection on Instagram and Facebook.
- “Vagina” is one of the most flagged terms on Meta.
Investors
- 83% of VC investment deals had no women on the founding team.
- For every £1 of VC investment, all-women teams get less than 1p.
“It’s been a boys’ club for centuries. When women have economic power, it changes communities for the better in the long term.” – Rhea Cartwright, Beauty Director, The Stack World
“Historically, women are not as comfortable talking about funding. I worked in investment banking for a decade—setting up FEWE is the hardest money I have ever raised.” – Rebekah Hall
Employers
- 58% of respondents said they felt uncomfortable talking about health issues at their workplace.
- White respondents felt the most comfortable discussing health issues at work (37%), while the Asian and Other ethnic groups felt the least comfortable (30% and 29% respectively).
- 88% of people surveyed had to take a sick day due to period pain.
- 93% believe their workplace doesn’t acknowledge the physical and mental impact of their menstrual cycle.
“Language around people who menstruate, as opposed to women since language needs to be more inclusive, is affecting 50% of the workforce. In order for us to see long-lasting change, we need a policy that makes it okay to have a sick day.” – Rhea Cartwright
“We are getting more requests on menopause policy, but with varying levels of how seriously people want to take it. Employers have a duty of care to provide a safe working environment: adjustments like risk assessment, temperature-controlled rooms, flexible working conditions, and if they see a dip in employee performance to see if it is due to menopause.” – Becky Hocking, Strategic HR Business Partner, UH Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Director, Avia HR Consultancy Ltd