“Suffered In Silence” – Pip Edwards Teams Up With Dove To Advocate For Menopause Policy Reform In The Workplace 

A new initiative from Dove Deodorants in partnership with Menopause Friendly Australia, has revealed former P.E. Nation mogul Pip Edwards as the face of Dove’s workplace menopause initiative.

The campaign, which challenges the stereotype that menopause only occurs to people ages 45+, draws upon Edwards’ own surprising experience of going through perimenopause at just 39 years old. Many Australian women typically begin experiencing menopause symptoms in their mid-40s.

Launching to coincide with World Menopause Awareness Month (October), Dove alongside Edwards, are setting out to highlight the wellbeing of women navigating menopause in the workplace. Supporting new research findings from Dove Menopause Insight (DMI), Edwards and Dove hope to encourage more businesses to implement menopause policies and create supportive environments for women.

Menopause is often a deeply personal topic, Edwards who has been candid in the past about her experience going through early perimenopause – the time leading up to menopause when someone experience changes and menopause symptoms – shared her thoughts on partnering with Dove.

“I have long been an admirer of Dove’s work championing women’s self-esteem. Now turning their attention to women in the workplace, I am proud to lend my voice and personal experience with perimenopause to raise awareness and provide support for others going through a similar experience. For me, there was no real knowledge or support, nor conversation or awareness, I suffered in silence on all fronts. I hope we can break the taboo surrounding menopause, not just in the workplace but in all areas of life.’ said Pip Edwards.

DMI reveals the current level of support available to Australian women in the workplace. With these findings, Dove is urging both employers and employees to move menopause discussions beyond casual conversations and into actionable practices that enable women to bring their whole selves to work.

“We were genuinely surprised by some of the findings from our DMI research. Despite more women than ever being in the workforce, only 6% of respondents said their workplace offers a menopause policy or guidance. Additionally, over half of women (62%) feel comfortable talking about menopause at work, which raises the question: how do we bridge this disconnect? Drawing upon answers from our research, we’ve created a dedicated site to support women and businesses to start these important conversations and introduce their own menopause policies.’ comments Nick Bangs CEO of Unilever ANZ.

The DMI findings align with the government’s Senate inquiry on menopause, which was handed down on September 18. The inquiry highlighted the lack of awareness surrounding the impacts of menopause. In a unanimous decision, the panel recommended that the federal government explore options for introducing paid, gender-inclusive reproductive health leave.

Dove is encouraging followers, businesses and consumers alike to head to Dove’s dedicated menopause microsite (www.dove.com/menopause), where they can access a wealth of resources developed in collaboration with Menopause Friendly Australia. The dedicated site is designed to educate and inspire, offering policy templates, conversation starters and key findings from the DMI research, all aimed at supporting businesses and individuals in addressing menopause in the workplace.
Dove is committed to supporting women through menopause, providing the confidence boost of Dove Advanced Care deodorant when it’s needed most.