RRG Group awarded Menopause Friendly Accreditation

The RRG Group - one of the biggest and most successful car dealer groups in the North of England –
has been awarded the Menopause Friendly Accreditation in recognition of its inclusive, supportive workplace culture.​​

Established in 1967, the RRG Group represents Toyota, Lexus, Mazda, Peugeot, ŠKODA, Nissan, Kia, MG, OMODA and JAECOO across 22 dealerships in the North West and West Yorkshire, alongside a body shop, vehicle prep centre and fleet department. All these branches are supported by its head office in Salford Quays which also provides marketing, HR, accounts, IT and the organisation’s customer contact centre.

The Menopause Friendly Accreditation was established by Henpicked: Menopause In The Workplace in 2021 to certify high standards and proven practices that embrace menopause in the workplace. The Accreditation is industry-recognised and the only accreditation that sets clear standards which must be met making it truly meaningful.

The RRG Group recognised that being Menopause Friendly supports employee wellbeing, improves retention, reduces absenteeism and fosters an inclusive, supportive workplace culture which aligns with its core values of being passionate, professional and fair.

To achieve the Menopause Friendly Accreditation, the RRG Group was assessed by an Independent Panel and had to demonstrate evidence of its effectiveness in five key areas, namely: culture, policies and practices, training, engagement and working environment.​

Three menopause friendly strategies introduced by the RRG Group that had significant impact include:

• Holding Menopause Lunches three times a year.  These have covered topics such as: Menopause and Collagen, Osteoporosis, Stress & Anxiety during Menopause.
• Delivering its ‘Men O Pause’ Workshop to the General Managers who are all male and educating them about the three stages of Perimenopause, Menopause and Post Menopause as well as Andropause.  This was crucial to gaining buy-in from them to support their employees.
• Designing and implementing a Menopause Policy bespoke to the organisation’s needs.

“I am incredibly proud that we have achieved the Menopause Friendly Accreditation,” says Sarah Cooney, Head of People and Development at RRG Group. “This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive, supportive workplace where every colleague feels valued and empowered at every stage of life. We believe that open conversations and meaningful support around menopause are essential to employee wellbeing and we will continue to build on this foundation to ensure lasting change."

“Achieving the Menopause Friendly Accreditation is a significant milestone for the RRG Group,” says Arran Bangham, Vice Chairman, RRG Group. “At a leadership level, we recognise the importance of fostering a workplace culture where everyone feels seen, supported and understood. This accreditation reflects our commitment to breaking down stigmas, encouraging open dialogue and ensuring our policies and practices genuinely support colleagues through every life stage.

“Being Menopause Friendly is not just the right thing to do it's essential to building a truly inclusive organisation,” he continues. “I would like to personally thank our Menopause Action Planning Group, Sarah Cooney, Colette Murray and Andrea Atkinson, for all their commitment and hard work.”

“The RRG Group demonstrated to the Independent Panel its genuine commitment to supporting its employees,” says Deborah Garlick, CEO of Menopause Friendly by Henpicked.“Particularly impressive was its recognition of the need to educate and train its largely male workforce and wholly-male management team to feel comfortable talking about menopause in the workplace. Tackling this head-on has paid off handsomely with everyone aligned to ensure best practice is followed to reinforce its reputation as an inclusive and responsible employer in the motor trade.”