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Banner has worked alongside The University of Dundee to provide free period products to students and staff. Through Banner's innovative and versatile product range, as well as innovative services and dedicated account management, the university has consolidated its supply chain and provided its students and staff reliable and dignified access to these essential products.
The Challenge
Across the UK, period poverty is on the rise, people to make difficult decisions over everyday essentials and resulting in profound consequences on health and education. Research by Plan International UK found that 49% of girls have missed an entire day of school because of their period[1].
To tackle this, in 2017, Scotland became the first country in the world to make period products free to students. Councils and education providers now have a legal duty via the Period Products Act to provide free items such as tampons and sanitary pads to "anyone who needs them.[2]"
The University of Dundee is on a mission to end period poverty. After successfully implementing a pilot scheme, the university wanted to dedicate provisions to allow staff and students to order sanitary products across each of its campuses. This would require a consistent and reliable source of products to meet a wide range of requirements as well as a dignified way to order these products that removes bias and provides anonymity to consumers.
In addition to this, single-use period products also have a huge negative impact on the environment in terms of waste and pollution. Women in the UK typically experience periods over years, and on average, throughout their lifetime will use 11,000 disposable period products[3].
Stewart Kerr, Category Manager (Facilities Management) at the University of Dundee, explains the initial task Banner faced in supplying products and providing a service which aligns with their goals: "as an early adopter of the Scottish Government’s Period Dignity Initiative, the University of Dundee tasked Banner with providing an all-encompassing sustainable/organic range of period care products that would align with our organisational goals and objectives.
Supporting the environment circular economy and promoting the United Nations SDG’s, with a new Contract Award direct with Banner, the University can supply these products to staff and students under APUC’S JAN1011 AP: Cleaning & Janitorial Products Framework."
The Solution
At Banner, we are committed to meeting the UK’s period care needs through innovative and sustainable period products and solutions. Supporting individuals to get the right product for them is a core part of what we offer.
As part of our extensive Cleaning & Hygiene range, we have ethically sourced a range of period products, including organic and reusable products, designed for inclusivity, equality, and sustainability.
Banner’s range of period products, available to the University through APUC’S JAN1011 AP: Cleaning & Janitorial Products Framework, has allowed the University to work in partnership with Banner to consistently and reliably provide access to these essential products to its students and staff.
This broad range is crucial in Banner and The University of Dundee’s mission to tackle period poverty. In 2017, Dundee became the first university in the United Kingdom to provide free period products to its students, paving the way to become the first pilot university to offer free products to all its students after the Scottish Government dedicated £5.4 million to tackling period poverty for all students and school pupils in Scotland[5].
In order to increase inclusivity and improve period education across its campuses, a wide range of products are available in both female and male toilets, from bio-degradable single-use products to reusable products as well as non-gender specific products.
Available products from Banner:
- menstrual cups
- period pants from sizes XS to XXL
- reusable pads
- organic cotton tampons
- organic cotton pads
The Result
By utilising Banner’s recycled and reusable options, as well as innovative supply chain services, the University is also taking steps to reduce the environmental impact of single-use period products. A person using a menstrual cup will save on average 7kgs of CO2 each year[4].
Further benefits associated with the use of reusable products include:
- Reduced plastic & energy consumption – in manufacturing
- Reduced water consumption – fewer sewer blockages
- Reduced product toxins
- Reduced cost & increased performance
Jim O’Hara, Banner Contract Manager, was crucial in establishing this partnership. He states, “The client’s environmental and sustainable objectives were made clear at tender stage with Procurement and this matched perfectly with our stated aim to promote environmentally friendly, sustainable, reusable and ethically sourced products across the University – wherever appropriate.
“Within our industry, Banner is making huge contributions to helping the environment and improving sustainable practices by streamlining our services and consolidating deliveries to reduce carbon output. Further innovative practices which reduce waste streams include pioneering manufacturing processes, implementation of electronic ordering, recycling packaging, reducing outer packaging and enhanced dispensing. We look forward to completing many other future initiatives with the University of Dundee.”
Sources: 1. What is Period Poverty? | Bodyform 2. Period poverty: Scotland first in the world to make period products free - BBC News 3. https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/resources/consumer-attitudes-towards-reusable-menstrual-products-scotland 4. https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/resources/carbon-impacts-menstrual-products 5. https://www.dundee.ac.uk/stories/dundees-plan-tackle-period-poverty-post
