Global advocacy organization PERIOD., a nonprofit working to end period poverty and stigma, celebrates the impact of their Advisory Board’s first year, noting the membership of board members Pfizer, Sumitomo Pharma, Motrin and Thinx.

Invited to join due to their proven commitment to ending period poverty, member corporations on the PERIOD. Advisory Board support the organization’s initiatives of advocacy, education, and direct service to address period poverty, and have specifically provided their expertise towards programming to address menstruation in the workplace. To mark the end of this first year, the Advisory Board has sponsored a roundtable video discussion featuring leaders of different generations in candid and honest conversations about period health at work, and how workplaces can best address the needs of periods, menstrual discomfort and menopause.

According to the 2023 State of the Period study, 60% of adults say period stigma impacts their comfort with their body and 46% are afraid their career growth could be negatively affected if they ask for accommodations at work. This dynamic is even more pronounced with lower-income adults.

“At a time when one in three women struggle to afford menstrual products, the bold advocacy of the Advisory Board will inspire other employers and policymakers to make menstruation more affordable and manageable for women and girls,” says Michela Bedard, executive director PERIOD. “Policy change follows culture change, and we applaud these corporate leaders for their public support of period poverty programming, helping to destigmatize menstruation throughout the life cycle.”

This work further amplifies PERIOD.’s Workplace Champions program, which empowers large-scale employers to create period-friendly, inclusive workplaces by committing to onsite access to period products and menstrual education materials for employees. This initiative supports employees to better manage their periods at work while offering mentorship and partnership opportunities for employers to help foster a more inclusive environment.