ISO Released Standard for Menstrual Health Support
The international guidance provides a new framework for workplace menstrual and menopausal health accommodations.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Women’s Issues
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The International Organization for Standardization has published ISO 45010:2026, establishing a formal framework for supporting employees through menstruation and menopause. This guidance aims to help organizations improve workplace culture, design, and health policy.
Why it matters
The standard seeks to improve worker wellbeing and job satisfaction by addressing the negative impacts of unsupportive environments on retention and absenteeism. It provides managers with toolkits to better integrate health considerations into occupational strategies.
The new standard outlines specific requirements for job design, physical environments, and privacy. It complements broader health data showing that 1.9 million workers experienced work-related ill health in 2024-25.
The players
International Organization for Standardization
This independent, non-governmental international organization develops voluntary, consensus-based, market-relevant standards for products, services, and systems.
UK Health and Safety Executive
This is the national regulator for workplace health and safety in the United Kingdom, responsible for tracking occupational ill health statistics.
The details
The guidance offers organizations a structured way to review risk assessments, wellbeing policies, and manager training to close support gaps. It specifically focuses on embedding health considerations into the daily occupational life of employees.
Timeline
The UK Health and Safety Executive recorded health data for 2024-25.
The International Organization for Standardization published ISO 45010:2026 in September 2026.
Culture Shift
This standard represents a broadening of global workplace health mandates from strictly physical safety to more inclusive wellness policies. It follows the pattern set by the ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management system, expanding the focus from physical hazards to physiological health needs.
Employees may see new manager toolkits and policy changes as their organizations adopt these international health recommendations. This could lead to better adjustments in work design and improved physical office environments for those managing menstrual or menopausal symptoms.
The takeaway
Organizations that adopt these guidelines may foster higher employee retention by addressing previously overlooked health factors. Leaders can start by assessing their current training and wellbeing policies against the new ISO framework.
Further reading
Learn more about workplace policy and health equity in our Women’s Issues section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Pinsent Masons.
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