Toronto, Ontario, Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diva International Inc. (Diva) the makers of DivaCup®, the #1 menstrual cup brand in the world, announced today that they have implemented a companywide Paid Menstrual Leave policy. Menstruating employees may now choose to opt into the policy that provides a maximum of 12 paid days per calendar year. One (1) menstrual leave day may be taken per month. In Canada, there are currently ~50 employees at Diva.
"We made the decision to implement a Paid Menstrual Leave policy to support our mission of destigmatizing periods and to support our staff who menstruate. We at Diva strongly believe that employees should not be put in the position of "presenteeism” and feel pressured to show up to work even when feeling sick, or when it is a detriment to their health. This policy is another way we can foster a supportive work environment.” says President, Rick Saini.
The Paid Menstrual Leave is the latest in employee focused workplace policies that have been implemented by Diva. In addition to the Paid Menstrual Leave policy, Diva has had a work from home flex policy that allowed employees to work from home even before the onset of the pandemic. Every Diva employee gets a full day (8hrs) of volunteer time, paid time, from the company to volunteer with an approved organization of their choosing and every employee gets personal care days on top of their sick days.
“The conversations around menstruation have been so stigmatized it has created a huge equity issue that begins in school and then is carried into the workplace. In Canada, a significant portion of people who menstruate have endometriosis, have uterine fibroids and/or suffer from dysmenorrhea. Disorders such as endometriosis can take up to ten years to be diagnosed partly, I believe, as a result of the systemic undermining of women’s pain. That is why this policy will not require a doctor’s note, we believe women and want to empower them in managing their care. Diva is a period positive company with brand values rooted in equity and body autonomy making a Paid Menstrual Leave policy a natural extension of our existing workplace programs”- says CEO and Founder, Carinne Chambers-Saini.
Diva is a company committed to people and the Paid Menstrual Leave policy is the newest example of their commitment to bettering the lives of people who menstruate and to prioritizing the lives of their employees. The purpose of a Paid Menstrual Leave policy that is separate from the existing Paid Sick Leave policy is to de-stigmatize discussion of menstruation in the workplace and support their employees’ menstrual cycles. By setting an example and through advocacy, Diva hopes to inspire other Canadian companies to introduce their own paid menstrual leave policy. The brand plans to continue its work in creating workplace equity with an ongoing awareness campaign that will include conducting further research on menstruation in the workplace and advocating for widespread policy change.
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About Diva International
Established in 2002, Diva’s founders, mother-daughter team Francine Chambers and Carinne Chambers-Saini, have become disruptors in the menstrual care industry, passionately following their dream to create a sustainable menstrual cup, a healthy and effective alternative to disposables. Their hero product, DivaCup, is an easy-to-use, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternative to disposable tampons and pads, offering up to 12 hours of leak-free protection. Diva is also passionately committed to its social impact program. Its mission is to establish meaningful partnerships globally to address issues of accessibility, menstrual equity, and education. In the past year alone, Diva’s Impact program has donated over $700,000 in product and financial support worldwide. As Diva believes that menstruation should be a fact of life, not life-limiting, the company is passionately committed to breaking taboos surrounding menstruation worldwide. For more information, please visit divacup.com.
