In an industry first, leading infrastructure and public service provider, Amey, and global consultancy and construction company, Mace, have launched a digital health platform, Peppy, to support women going through menopause and other major health journeys.
Amey and Mace have partnered with Peppy to demonstrate their commitment to driving gender equality and diversity in the workplace.
By rolling out the Peppy app in their organisations, Amey and Mace are leading the wider industry, as well as showing that menopause is not just a women’s issue – it’s a workplace issue.
Peppy’s menopause service connects users directly to specialist menopause experts, via one-to-one chat, group chat or video consultation, or through a library of free events, videos and articles. Users can discuss symptoms, treatment options and mental wellbeing, and receive unlimited support from real-life experts to choose the right options for their menopause transition.
Women of menopausal age are the fastest-growing demographic of the UK workforce, and yet 1 in 10 will consider leaving employment due to their menopause symptoms. With specialist, accessible support in place, women can avoid having their careers derailed by complex changes in their health.
Amey and Mace recognise the necessity for menopause support to empower female colleagues such that they can fully achieve their ambitions, whilst at the same time creating a diverse, gender balanced culture, that can benefit all employees.
Amey Chief Executive, Amanda Fisher, is championing this shift in opinion by speaking openly and sharing her own experiences about menopause. She commented, “I want all women going through menopause to be able to reach their potential, and for menopause not to be a barrier for their ambitions. As a woman who is experiencing menopause myself, I want to do everything I can to prevent Amey, and the industry, losing women at this later stage in their career when they have so much to offer. This is about opening the conversation and encouraging other employers to take similar steps to become menopause friendly organisations. No one should be held back something they can’t control.”
Mandy Willis, Mace Group Board Director of Corporate Strategy, commented: “Partnering with Peppy and launching the app for our Mace colleagues, will help women across our organisation feel supported during menopause, empowering them throughout their careers; but particularly at that juncture when their experience is so valuable and their careers are all too often curtailed. With the help of Peppy, we aim to address the structural gender inequalities within the construction industry, and champion social mobility. We want to retain the fantastic talent that we have and at the same time, support the ambitions of our women such that there are no boundaries to their ambition. It is a great step in leading change across our sector and setting an example for other employers in different industries.”
Amey and Mace are committed to improving diversity, equality and inclusion not only in their own businesses, but also across the wider industry. Earlier this year, Amey Chief Executive, Amanda Fisher, and Mace Group Board Director of Corporate Strategy, Mandy Willis were appointed co-chairs of The REbuild Project, an initiative to tackle gender equality in the construction industry.
Dr. Mridula Pore, Peppy Co-Founder and Co-CEO, said, ‘By giving their colleagues access to Peppy, Amey and Mace are not only creating a culture of belonging in their organisations, but are also setting an example for other organisations in the industry to follow. Peppy will help their employees – and their partners – make sense of challenging health journeys and bring their best selves to work every day. We’re proud to work with two organisations who are taking action to make their businesses more female-friendly.’
The Peppy app not only offers employees support and guidance for menopause, but also support with fertility, pregnancy, early parenthood and miscarriage, which Mace will be rolling out at the same time as the menopause service. It is available to all employees, as well as their partners.
On the 29th September this year, during National Inclusion Week, Amey, Mace, Peppy and The REbuild Project will host an industry wide virtual event to raise awareness around breaking down barriers for women in the workplace, discussing career development, the gender pay gap and how specialist women’s health support can help create an inclusive, gender-equal workplace, particularly in industries which are male-dominant.