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Here at Keyline, we are delighted to announce the start of our partnership with Hey Girls, a social enterprise committed to eliminating period poverty – their products are now stocked in all of our branches and national offices.
No one should have to feel embarrassed at being ‘caught short’ at work, but it is an unfortunate reality for countless people who have periods. Period products are not freely available in many workplaces, and a stigma around the topic still remains.
Fortunately, things are beginning to change in the public sector, schools and, more gradually, the workplace as well – in no small part due to the work of Hey Girls. Hey Girls is an award-winning social enterprise dedicated to eradicating period poverty and removing the stigma that surrounds it. For every period product sold, Hey Girls donates another to someone suffering from period poverty. They are the only social enterprise to donate 100 percent of their profit to funding the fight to eradicate period poverty and lobby for period dignity across the UK.
Hey Girls works with organisations in many different sectors; companies that purchase products from the enterprise make period care more accessible for their own workforce, while also supporting a worthwhile cause. One of the organisations to partner with Hey Girls was Balfour Beatty, one of our valued customers.
The construction and engineering industry in the UK suffers from a particularly damning lack of diversity. Only 16.5 percent of engineers in the UK are women, the lowest proportion in all of Europe – and this is reflected in the way the industry often treats its workforce and approaches inclusivity. Sanitary bins are not required under current Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations, and one in five women are expected to share toilets with men on construction sites, according to a 2018 Unite survey.
By working with organisations like Hey Girls, Balfour Beatty, a leading international infrastructure group, are moving to change this attitude, and setting a standard for others to follow.
After establishing a fantastic partnership, Balfour Beatty recommended working with Hey Girls to Keyline. It’s an important cause, as Lorna Pitt, (Procurement Manager) at Balfour Beatty commented, “Many of our sites at Balfour Beatty are now stocked with Hey Girls products, which has a huge social impact on many community partners, as well as supplying vital period products to a number of our colleagues – we are thrilled that Keyline has also come on board with this after our recommendation.”
We are proud to partner with Hey Girls and support their work: tackling period poverty and making our workplaces more inclusive is an ambition we are happy to be a part of. All of our branches and nationals offices will now have a basic period product starter kit from Hey Girls, available to whoever finds themselves in need of these essential items. As a result of this order, 2,538 sanitary products will be donated within the UK.
Shirley Newton, National Account Manager at Keyline, added “We’re always looking at ways to make Keyline a more inclusive environment. Balfour Beatty recommended Hey Girls, and seeing the great work they do – and how well it aligned well with our own values – we were eager to get involved. Through stocking their period product kits in our branches and national offices, we hope to make our workforce feel more comfortable, and through the donation scheme, support people with periods throughout the UK struggling with period poverty. It’s a really important cause, and one Keyline are proud to get behind.”
DRIVING CHANGE WITH HEY GIRLS
Hey Girls was instrumental in driving significant change at a governmental level, playing a key role in two changes to law; the ‘tampon tax’ abolishment in 2021 and the ‘free product provision bill’ in 2022, which, notably, makes sanitary items more accessible at school. In addition to driving forward social change, Hey Girls are keen to be part of an environmental one: all of their products are made from plant based materials – completely plastic, toxin and bleach free – and all carbon created from their deliveries is offset.
Attitudes are slowly changing, and Keyline is pleased to be part of a positive change in the construction industry. But with 1 in 10 girls unable to afford period products, the issue of period poverty is still a pertinent one in the UK. If you would like to support the cause directly, you can donate to Hey Girls today.