Highlights from the Menopause Workplace Excellence Awards 2024
On October 10, the second annual Menopause Workplace Excellence Awards took place in Dublin, bringing together businesses of all sizes to recognise their efforts in supporting women experiencing the often-challenging symptoms of menopause. This special event was hosted in partnership with Great Place to Work Ireland and sponsored by Irish Life Health and Astellas Pharma. Taking place at the prestigious Royal College of Physicians, the awards not only celebrated forward-thinking workplace policies but also sparked meaningful conversations about the importance of inclusive environments in Ireland’s workforce.
A Night of Recognition and Celebration
From global multinationals to smaller enterprises, companies were awarded for their innovative policies that address the difficulties many women face during menopause. With a growing awareness of menopause’s impact on mental health, focus, and productivity, the event served as a reminder of how vital it is for businesses to support their employees through this life stage.
Congratulations to our winners:
Best Irish Owned: Bank of Ireland
Best Large Business: Aldi
Best Medium Business: Coca-Cola HBC
Best Global: Diageo
Best in Health: St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (
Best Champion Network: Slieve Russell Hotel
Best Small Business: Dungarvan and West Waterford Chamber
Special Recognition Award in Higher Education: University College Dublin
Male Allyship award: Lee O’Donoghue, Lidl
Championing Change: Acknowledging Male Allies
In a groundbreaking move, this year’s awards introduced a Male Allyship category to celebrate men working towards creating menopause-friendly workplaces. The inaugural award was presented to Lee O’Donoghue, a store manager at Lidl Ireland in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, for his exceptional support of female colleagues.
Male Allyship Award- Lee O’Donoghue, Lidl. Presented by Sarah Conlon, Strategic Corporate Sales Manager, Irish Life Health.
A Growing Movement
The Menopause Workplace Excellence Awards are organised by Menopause Hub Academy and Great Place to Work, with sponsorship from Irish Life Health and Astellas Pharma. As Loretta Dignam, CEO of Menopause Hub Academy, highlighted, the increasing number of high-quality entries reflects a positive shift:
“We were amazed by the quantity and quality of the entries submitted this year, which is proof that finally, the world of employment in Ireland is responding to the healthcare needs of women at work. Some women may experience very few symptoms of menopause and find it does not impact their working lives to a great degree.But for countless others, the experience is very different and can severely limit their capacity to work full-time, or work at all in many cases.”
This shift is more important than ever. While some women experience only mild symptoms, others face challenges such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, and brain fog—all of which can severely impact their ability to work. Speaking to the gravity of the issue, Claire Loftus, former Director of Public Prosecutions, warned of the potential damage to business if women are forced to leave employment or have their hours cut due to debilitating menopause symptoms. She said more Irish workplaces need to ‘catch up’ and implement policies to prevent a brain drain of highly skilled female staff.
The event judges—Oonagh O’Hagan, Managing Director of Meaghers Pharmacy Group, and Norah Casey, former Dragons’ Den star—praised the caliber of entries. Casey shared her admiration for the initiative’s growing momentum, calling it “truly inspiring.”
“The commitment to fostering supportive workplace environments for menopause is evident, and seeing this growing momentum is a testament to the progress we are making in this critical area,” Casey said.
Setting the Benchmark for Future Change
The Menopause Workplace Excellence Awards have set a new benchmark for businesses in Ireland. They highlight not only what can be achieved with thoughtful policy-making but also the necessity of destigmatising conversations around menopause in the workplace.
We thoroughly enjoyed hosting this event alongside Great Place to Work Ireland, and witnessing companies of all kinds taking concrete steps toward change. These companies are proving that prioritising employee well-being isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s also essential for retaining top talent.
As the night drew to a close, one message was clear: by normalising and accommodating the realities of menopause, businesses can create healthier, more inclusive environments for everyone. Here’s to celebrating progress—and to many more years of positive change ahead! We are so grateful to everyone involved and everyone who attended. Many thanks again to our partner Great Place to Work Ireland and to our sponsors, Irish Life Health and Astellas Pharma.