12 Awareness Days for Your Organisations Event Calendar 

Why Women’s Health Awareness Days & Support is Your Top 2026 DEI and Retention Strategy

Awareness days offer HR, Benefit and People teams a purposeful way to bring women’s reproductive and hormone health into the open at work; giving employees education, recognition, and a sense that these aren’t taboo subjects, while giving your organisation a natural moment each month to reinforce its commitment to genuinely inclusive healthcare.

By incorporating key reproductive and hormone health awareness days into your internal events calendar, employers can provide educational resources and celebrate the diverse aspects of women’s health covering menstruation, through to menopause and promoting a sense of acknowledgement and support for employees.

All of which contributes to a workplace environment that values the wellbeing of its people. Here are the days worth building into your 2026 calendar, and why each one matters:

International Women’s Day — 8 March

What: A globally recognised campaign celebrating women’s social, economic, and political achievements while raising awareness for gender equality.

Why it matters for employers: A natural moment to spotlight your organisation’s commitment to workplace equity, covering women’s health at work, not just achievements. The two are closely connected. Read our UK Employer Guide to Fertility & Reproductive Benefits for what a genuinely inclusive healthcare offering looks like.

We also release a report in March every year that covers the health of women in work, and how the gender health gap can impact careers. Read our 2026 report here.

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Endometriosis Awareness Month — March

What: A month of action for the 1 in 10 women affected by endometriosis, a condition that on average takes 9+ years to diagnose.

Why it matters for employers: Endometriosis symptoms can be chronic and unpredictable, one peer-reviewed study found sufferers lose an average of 5.3 hours a week to reduced productivity at work and 1.1 hours to absence, with losses rising as symptoms worsen (Source: Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, via PMC) making general sickness policies a poor fit for support. 38% of people with endometriosis said they feared losing their job because of it (Source: APPG on Endometriosis, 2020).

Our UK Employer Guide covers what policies are worth reviewing and what suitable, inclusive care can look like.

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Black Maternal Health Week — 11–17 April

What: In the UK, Black women are nearly three times more likely to die during pregnancy or within six weeks after, compared to White women (Source: MBRRACE-UK, Maternal Mortality 2022–2024).

Why it matters for employers: This is a moment to reflect on whether your maternity and family-forming support is genuinely equitable in practice, not just in policy, including whether Black employees feel as supported and heard through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum as their colleagues. Read more about it in our inequality report, and consider hosting an education session, an ERG-led panel or a review of how your maternity pathway accounts for disparities in care and outcomes.

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Menstrual Hygiene Day — 28 May

What: A global awareness day focused on menstrual health, dignity, education, and ending stigma around periods.

Why it matters for employers: Period-related pain and heavy bleeding are still among the least-discussed reasons employees take time off. An internal comms piece or lunch-and-learn on this day is a way to open the conversation, consider reviewing policies to make sure they cover conditions like endometriosis, PMOS or Adenomyosis that can all impact menstruation, and explore providing at-home screening to help identify the causes of heavy, painful or irregular periods.

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Pride Month — June

What: A global celebration of LGBTQ+ identity and history.

Why it matters for employers: Family-forming support shouldn’t assume a single path to parenthood. Consider running a Hertility expert led “Family Forming for Every Body” session or an ERG-led panel discussion that reflects same-sex, surrogacy, and adoption journeys alongside traditional fertility treatment see how organisations can approach this topic through inclusive benefits design.

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PMOS Awareness Month — September (formerly PCOS)

What: A globally recognised month of action for the estimated 1 in 8 people affected by Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) one of the leading causes of infertility, and a condition many live with undiagnosed for years.

Note: On 12 May 2026, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was officially renamed to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), following input from over 22,000 people with the condition. The awareness month name is transitioning accordingly, see our full explainer on what the name change means.

Why it matters for employers: PMOS symptoms (irregular cycles, chronic pain, fatigue, mental health impact) often go unspoken at work. We’re hosting a webinar for HR, Benefit & People Leaders to explain the meaning behind the name change, how the symptoms impact employees and what businesses can do to support their colleagues experiencing it. It’s on Wednesday 16th September 2026 at 12:00pm – 1:00pm. Sign up for it here.

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Baby Loss Awareness Week — 9–15 October

What: A UK-focused week dedicated to supporting those who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss, culminating in the global “Wave of Light” on 15 October.

Why it matters for employers: Baby loss can be one of the most emotionally distressing experiences, yet remains under-supported in UK workplaces. Statutory support is currently incomplete: Northern Ireland introduced 2 weeks’ paid leave for pre-24-week loss in April 2026, but the equivalent right in England, Scotland, and Wales, passed into law but not yet in force, expected 2027, will provide 1 week, unpaid leave.

Until then, most employees experiencing pregnancy loss before 24 weeks have no statutory entitlement beyond ordinary sick leave, which offers neither the confidentiality nor the recognition that grief like this deserves. This is a good moment to review whether your own policies go further than the legal minimum; our Gender Health Gap in the Workplace guide covers the wider policy landscape worth benchmarking against.

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Menopause Awareness Month — October (World Menopause Day: 18 October)

What: A globally recognised awareness month focused on breaking the stigma surrounding menopause.

Why it matters for employers: An estimated 60,000 women in the UK are out of work because of menopause symptoms, at a direct economic cost of around £1.5 billion a year (Source: World Economic Forum / McKinsey Health Institute). From Spring 2026, large employers are being encouraged to publish voluntary Menopause Action Plans, a framework expected to become mandatory by 2027. So this is a good moment to get ahead of it. See our guide on menopause workplace benefits for UK employers for what’s coming, or download the Menopause Guide for a policy framework.

National Fertility Awareness Week — 1–7 November

What: A UK-focused weeklong campaign raising awareness about fertility issues, treatments, and reproductive health education.

Why it matters for employers: In CIPD research, 47% of employees didn’t tell their manager or HR about fertility treatment or investigations at all, and 26% specifically cited concern about the impact on their career (Source: CIPD, Workplace support for employees experiencing fertility challenges). Read more on how to support employees going through fertility treatment small changes in flexibility and confidentiality make a measurable difference.

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What happens when these conditions go unrecognised

Awareness days matter because the alternative, silence, has a real cost. In CIPD research, almost 1 in 5 (19%) employees considered leaving their job because of their experience with fertility challenges, investigations, or treatment (Source: CIPD). An estimated 60,000 women in the UK are out of work because of menopause symptoms, costing the economy around £1.5 billion a year (Source: World Economic Forum / McKinsey Health Institute).

Much of this stems from a simple communication gap: 42% of women feel uncomfortable discussing health issues with their managers in the first place (Source: Benenden Health Gender Health Gap Report). Awareness days won’t fix that alone, but they’re a great way to start normalising the conversation before someone is already in crisis.

And the upside for retention is measurable: employees who feel cared for by their employer are 60% more likely to intend to stay with their organisation over the next 12 months, and employees who understand and use their benefits are far more likely to feel cared for in the first place, 88% compared with just 34% who don’t (Source: MetLife Employee Benefit Trends Study).

Curious what unsupported hormone and reproductive health could be costing your own organisation specifically? Try our Reproductive Impact Calculator, using population data, and your own company demographics, it estimates the current cost of unsupported reproductive health and fertility on your business.

It’s not just theoretical: see how JC Decaux built a psychologically safe culture around menopause, fertility, and hormonal health across their multi-generational workforce, including how the data they gathered directly informed policy changes.

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Build this into a full year-round plan

These are just a few standout moments, for the complete list with direct links to clinically validated resources for every major awareness day, plus guidance on which policies to review and themes for running inclusive events, download our full 2026 Hormone & Reproductive Health Awareness Calendar.

Try the full year-round plan to drive conversion from awareness into loyalty. If you’d like to take proactive steps to better support your female colleagues speak to a Hertility expert: benefits@hertilityhealth.com, or contact our team directly.