What is ISO 45010?
Three things worth knowing.
It sets a formal international standard. ISO 45010 gives employers a shared framework for thinking about menstrual health and menopause at work. Organisations can adapt its recommendations to their size, sector and resources.
It is free to read. ISO has made the full standard available for employers to read through without buying a copy.
It builds on the UK standard. In 2023, BSI published BS 30416, the UK standard on menstruation and menopause at work. ISO 45010 builds on this work for an international audience. It also includes guidance on disclosure, privacy, workplace actions and a workplace charter template.
Why did ISO publish it?
Ahead of the launch, BSI surveyed 6,494 women across seven countries.
- 68% said employers should support employees experiencing menstruation and menopause-related health issues.
- Seven in 10 wanted their employer to have a clear process for that support.
- Six in 10 said their employer had never proactively talked about menopause support.
The findings show a gap between what employees expect and the support they experience at work.
What does ISO 45010 cover?
ISO 45010 covers six areas:
- Workplace culture, including ways to reduce stigma and make it easier for people to ask for support.
- Policies and procedures, including how to handle disclosure and protect confidentiality.
- Manager awareness and training.
- Workplace design, including temperature, ventilation, toilet and rest facilities, and uniforms.
- Workplace adjustments that can help employees manage symptoms while they work.
- Measuring and evaluating whether support works.
The standard also gives guidance to small and medium-sized employers. It explains how ISO 45010 aligns with ISO 45001, the occupational health and safety management standard.
If an organisation already works with ISO 45001, it can build ISO 45010 into its existing processes rather than create a separate approach.
What does good support look like?
Menstrual health, perimenopause and menopause can affect people in different ways. Symptoms can also change from day to day.
Carrot Expert Munawar Hussain, FCPS, FRCOG, MSc, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, says:
“Employers should recognise that menstrual health conditions, perimenopause and menopause can have a significant impact on physical health, wellbeing and the ability to work. Practical, proportionate measures, combined with sensitive, confidential support, can protect dignity while helping employees remain productive and engaged.”
Symptoms can include heavy or painful periods, fatigue, sleep disturbance, hot flushes, headaches, anxiety and difficulty concentrating. That’s why a flexible approach can work better.
Employers can offer practical support such as flexible working, access to suitable toilet and rest facilities, changes to temperature or clothing, extra short breaks and flexibility around medical appointments.
They can look at whether working conditions or patterns make symptoms worse. Where appropriate, they can carry out a health and safety or individual risk assessment.
Managers should also handle conversations sensitively and keep them confidential. The focus should be on how symptoms affect the person at work and what support they may need. This could include reasonable adjustments or advice from occupational health.
Four things employers can do now
1. Read the standard
ISO 45010 is free to read online and gives employers a clear framework for understanding what good support can look like.
2. Map it against your current approach
Use the six areas in ISO 45010 as a checklist. Which areas already have clear support in place? Where could you do more?
3. Ask managers what they need
Managers are often the first people employees turn to. Give them the knowledge and confidence to handle conversations about menstrual health, perimenopause and menopause sensitively. Make sure they also know when to involve occupational health or signpost employees to clinical support.
4. Look at what happens after the conversation
Ask what happens when an employee needs clinical advice or treatment. Do they know where to start? Can they access appropriate support without having to work it out alone?
How does ISO 45010 relate to the Employment Rights Act?
ISO 45010 and the Employment Rights Act 2025 are separate. The Act includes a duty for employers with 250 or more employees to publish an equality action plan covering menopause support, expected from spring 2027 and subject to secondary legislation.
The two can still work together in practice. Employers preparing an action plan can use ISO 45010 as a reference when deciding what workplace support to include.
Employers can give people more joined-up support when workplace policies, practical adjustments and clinical care work together.
