A Perthshire charity is urging local businesses to “promote period dignity” in the workplace by providing period protection to their workforces.
The Perth and Kinross Association of Voluntary Service (PKAVS) has joined forces with social enterprise, Hey Girls in its efforts to end period poverty.
PKAVS launched its Tampon Taxi in April this year to provide free sanitary products during lockdown.
The Tampon Taxi has since grown, having expanded last month to include the whole of Perth and Kinross.
Now PKAVS and Hey Girls are encouraging all Perth and Kinross businesses to consider the impact they can have on both staff member dignity, equality and welfare.
They are urging employers to make a social impact in their local community by taking the simple step of becoming a period friendly employer.
They say access to period protection should be a right and not a privilege.
Jenni Keenan of the PKAVS Tampon Taxi said: “The Tampon Taxi project was born out of a desire to help local people get through a tough time, and it has quickly become clear that it is meeting a really vital need.
“This partnership is a way to ensure that the service is sustainable, and able to continue to support local people in the long run.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Hey Girls to make period dignity a reality in Perth and Kinross, and we can’t wait to start working with local businesses, bringing them along on this journey.”
Employers are encouraged to make use of Hey Girls’ Buy One Give One business model, which would see sanitary products being distributed among employees who need them.
For every product purchased, Hey Girls donates a period product to someone in need.
The Hey Girls Period Dignity Movement was set up in 2018 to encourage businesses to provide period care for their staff.
Hey Girls believes that no one should find themselves caught short at work and since launching, it has provided more than 11.5 million sanitary products.
CEO and Founder of Hey Girls, Celia Hodson said: “This partnership is a simple and powerful way for local businesses to make a real and measurable social impact directly into the communities where they are located.
“By Buying Period Products through a Buy One Give One model and addressing Period Dignity in the work place, it automatically triggers a donation to support local people and families in need.”