Food processing firm bids to break stigma of menopause

MOY Park which employs hundreds of staff in Tyrone has established a steering team to provide a range of education and support opportunities for team members, relating to menopause.

Launched as part of the company’s diversity, equality, inclusion & belonging strategy (DEIB), the team is also focusing on ways to reduce the stigma associated with menopause to encourage team members to feel more comfortable to discuss symptoms and seek support.

With a workforce consisting of thousands of female team members, education and support opportunities are open to everyone.

Whether they are experiencing symptoms of menopause themselves or would like information about how to support a family member, partner, colleague, or team member through what can be a particularly challenging time for many women.

The steering group team has established specialised training opportunities, including giving team members access to menopause qualified GPs to help them gain a better understanding of ways to manage symptoms and a new workplace menopause policy is being created.

Speaking about the Menopause Steering Team, Nicky Taylor, who is the head of talent and employee experience at Moy Park said, “As a company, we are committed to creating a culture where all our team members experience a sense of belonging when they come to work and feel that their unique needs and perspectives are respected and supported.

“Menopause symptoms can be hugely challenging for many women, and we’re delighted to have established this important programme of education and support for our people which is already making the difference.”

Most recently a webinar on nutrition and menopause has been delivered by Moy Park Nutritionist, Joanne Casey educating the team on the links between menopause and diet.

The Menopause team has also been creating resources to support members including a range of books about Menopause and links to reputable sources of information.

Speaking on the Menopause and Nutrition webinar, Joanne said, “It can be easy to get caught up in fads and misinformation around diet and nutrition.

“This was a great opportunity to provide up to date evidence-based information to our team on topics including bone health and heart health, both considerations for transitioning through the menopause.”