Standard Chartered Pakistan marked World Menopause Day with a dedicated event aimed at encouraging greater awareness and more open conversations around menopause in the workplace, bringing together colleagues, business leaders, industry stakeholders and healthcare experts.
Held under the theme “Strength to Understand,” the event explored menopause through the lens of workplace inclusion and wellbeing, focusing on breaking stigma, implications for talent retention and career progression, and the role leaders and organisations can play in creating more supportive workplaces.
The event formed part of Standard Chartered’s wider commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where colleagues are supported through different stages of their lives and careers. The Bank has taken a research-led approach globally and introduced measures including menopause counselling, learning resources, workplace adjustments and flexible working options.
A key part of the programme was a leadership conversation with Tanuj Kapilashrami, Group Chief Operating Officer on “Building Workplaces Where Women Can Thrive Through Every Life Stage.” The session explored the role of managers and how organisations can move from awareness to practical support.
Adil Salahuddin, CEO & Head of Coverage, Standard Chartered Pakistan, said: “Menopause is more than a health and wellbeing conversation. It is also a workplace, inclusion and talent conversation. Many women experience this at a stage when they bring significant professional experience, are leading teams and continuing to build their careers. We should be creating an environment where colleagues can continue to contribute and thrive, rather than feeling that an important part of their health and wellbeing is something they need to manage in silence.”
Yasir Khwaja, Head of Human Resources, Standard Chartered Pakistan, said: “Creating an inclusive workplace means recognising the realities our colleagues experience at every stage of their lives. Menopause has often remained an unspoken subject, particularly in our part of the world, and bringing it into the open is an important step forward. By creating greater understanding and encouraging honest conversations, we can help build a culture where women feel supported to continue succeeding in their careers.”
The event also featured a panel titled “The Conversation We Do Not Usually Have,” moderated by Erum Alizai, Head, Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing, Standard Chartered, and included Tazeen Hussain, Actor, Host & Associate Professor of Practice at Habib University; Dr Sheeza Mohsin, Executive Coach, Counsellor and Corporate Wellness Consultant; and Dr Nida Najmi, Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aga Khan University Hospital. The discussion addressed myths and misconceptions, physical and emotional wellbeing, the workplace impact of menopause, and the support colleagues, managers and organisations can provide.
By bringing together leadership, workplace and medical perspectives, and convening colleagues alongside clients and industry stakeholders, Standard Chartered aims to broaden a conversation that has traditionally received limited attention in the workplace and encourage greater understanding across Pakistan’s corporate community.
