ISO 45010 is the world's first international standard addressing menstruation and menopause in the workplace. If you're an employer, HR lead, facilities manager, or OH&S professional, here's what it actually says, and what it means in practice for the people you employ.
What is ISO 45010?
ISO 45010 sits within the ISO 45000 family, the same family of standards that governs occupational health and safety management internationally. It's designed to work alongside ISO 45001, the standard most organisations already use to manage workplace health and safety.
The standard exists because menstruation and menopause, while part of normal biological processes, are still surrounded by stigma in most workplaces. That stigma means many workers struggle in silence rather than asking for support, even when small, low-cost adjustments could make a real difference to their working day. ISO 45010 gives organisations structured guidance on how to close that gap: through workplace culture, policy, job design, and the physical environment itself.
Crucially, ISO 45010 covers both menstruation and menopause. Most existing employer activity in this space has focused on menopause alone, so this is a meaningful shift, particularly for younger employees managing menstrual health conditions like endometriosis, PMDD, or heavy periods.
Who does ISO 45010 apply to?
The standard applies to organisations of any size or sector, and includes specific guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises with limited HR or occupational health resources.
Importantly, ISO 45010 is explicit that menstruation and menopause aren't experiences limited to one group of people. Transgender men and non-binary people can also menstruate and experience menopause, and the standard recommends inclusive facilities and language that reflect this, rather than assuming support is only relevant to women.
What does ISO 45010 actually recommend?
The standard's practical guidance, set out in Clause 5, covers six broad areas. Here's what each means for your employees day to day.
Physical aspects of work
This is the area most directly relevant to physical workplace provision. The standard recommends:
Unrestricted access to private, hygienic toilet and washing facilities, including for shift, remote, and mobile workers
Complimentary access to menstrual products, with safe storage so products aren't damaged
Hygienic, accessible disposal in every toilet and changing facility
Ergonomic seating and movement breaks for sedentary roles
Attention to temperature, lighting, and ventilation, since these can affect symptom severity
Breathable, comfortable uniforms and adaptable PPE where required
Policy guidance and practice
Employers are encouraged to consult a diverse range of workers when developing policy, cross-reference menstruation and menopause guidance with existing policies (absence management, flexible working, D&I), and build in periodic review, since symptoms and needs change over time.
Supportive workplace culture
This includes manager and staff education, the option to appoint trained menstruation and menopause representatives, informal support networks, and clear management responsibility for implementation. The standard is direct that shaming, joking about, or dismissing menstrual or menopausal symptoms should never be tolerated.
Job design
Flexible working options are recommended, including microleave (short, unplanned breaks of roughly one to three hours) for managing sudden or severe symptoms, alongside flexible start and finish times and considerations for shift patterns.
Disclosure and privacy
Workers should never be forced to disclose menstrual or menopausal symptoms, and disclosure to one person (a line manager, for example) should never be assumed to extend automatically to HR or occupational health without the worker's consent.
Inclusivity
The standard specifically recommends disposal bins in every cubicle of gender-neutral toilets, and products available in discreet, gender-neutral locations, not only in facilities designated for women. It also recommends moving away from terms like "feminine hygiene" or "sanitary products" in favour of "period products" or "menstrual supplies."
How does ISO 45010 connect to ISO 45001?
This is the detail that changes how many organisations should think about this standard. ISO 45010 includes a direct cross-reference to ISO 45001, and one example given is telling: it recommends organisations provide menstrual products and private spaces as part of resource allocation for OH&S, not as a separate wellbeing initiative.
In practice, that means if your organisation already manages compliance against ISO 45001, menstrual and menopausal health provision now falls, at least in part, within that existing framework, rather than sitting entirely outside it as an optional extra.
What this means for your employees, specifically
Strip away the standards language, and the practical effect for the people who work for you is this:
- They shouldn't have to leave the building, or their shift, to find a period product
- They shouldn't have to disclose symptoms they'd rather keep private in order to get support
- Facilities should work for everyone who menstruates or experiences menopause, regardless of gender identity
- Managers should have a clear, trained way to respond if someone raises a concern, rather than an ad hoc or awkward conversation
- Support should be reviewed periodically, since symptoms and needs shift throughout someone's working life, not treated as a one-off policy tick
A few facts the standard highlights that are worth knowing
- Around 70% of people who menstruate experience mild to moderate symptoms that affect their daily life, even without an underlying health condition.
- Between a quarter and a third of workers experience genuinely debilitating menopausal symptoms.
- Menopause typically happens between ages 45 and 55, but 3 to 4 in every 100 women experience it before age 40.
- Perimenopause, the transition period before menopause, can begin four to eight years earlier, meaning symptoms can affect employees well before "menopause" itself is formally reached.
- The standard cites research suggesting the cost of replacing an employee can run from six months to two years' salary, a useful figure if you're building a business case internally for better provision.
Where to start
The standard includes a sample internal review checklist covering culture, policy, training, and physical provision, designed to help organisations identify gaps and prioritise action, particularly useful for SMEs with limited HR resource who need to focus on the highest-impact changes first.
Physical provision, complimentary, well-stocked, hygienically disposed-of period products, is often the fastest and lowest-cost place to start, while longer-term culture and policy work is built out alongside it.
DAME supplies sustainable, no-drill dispensers and organic period product refills to workplaces across the UK, including the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and the National Trust. If you're reviewing your organisation's provision against ISO 45010, [get in touch] to talk through what that looks like in practice.
Frequently asked questions
Is ISO 45010 legally required? ISO standards are voluntary unless a regulator, contract, or tender specifically requires certification. However, many organisations choose to align with ISO guidance as best practice, and some public sector tenders may begin referencing it.
Does ISO 45010 only apply to menopause? No. The standard explicitly covers both menstruation and menopause, and recommends provision and support for both.
What's the difference between ISO 45010 and ISO 45001? ISO 45001 is the broader international standard for occupational health and safety management. ISO 45010 sits within the same family and provides specific guidance on menstruation and menopause, cross-referenced against relevant ISO 45001 clauses.
Do gender-neutral toilets need period products too? Yes. The standard recommends period products and disposal facilities be available in gender-neutral and discreet locations, not only in facilities designated for women.
