Periods, People, and the Planet: Why Sustainable Workspaces Must Include Menstrual Health

When we talk about sustainability, our minds immediately turn to reducing emissions, conserving water, and cutting waste. Rarely, if ever, do we consider periods—yet, surprisingly, menstrual health sits at a crucial intersection of personal well-being, environmental conservation, and social equity. The truth is, menstrual wellness is more than just a personal issue—it’s a global one. And yes, it shows up in the places we work.

At TEC, we believe sustainability isn’t just about what a building runs on; it’s about what it stands for. From eco-certified materials and plastic-free policies to now offering sustainable menstrual products, we’re designing workspaces that care about the environment and the people who move through them.

This Earth Day, we’re challenging the conventional narrative. True care for the planet starts with care for people. And if we’re serious about sustainability—in our policies, our spaces, and our culture—it’s time to place menstrual health squarely at the heart of the conversation.

Why The Climate Crisis Is a Menstrual Health Issue

Roughly half the global population menstruates. Yet access to safe, dignified period products remains tragically unequal—often dictated by geography, income, or circumstance. Climate change only exacerbates this inequality, leaving vulnerable populations even more exposed. Here’s how:

1. Supply Chains Under Strain

Extreme weather—floods, droughts, fires—is disrupting global supply chains. Delays in manufacturing and distribution aren’t just about tech or transport; they affect essential health products, including menstrual care. These disruptions hit hardest in regions already grappling with inequality, where limited access to period products undermines health, education, and participation in everyday life.

2. Water Scarcity and Sanitation Challenges

Water scarcity, intensified by climate change, poses a growing threat to menstrual hygiene. In drought-affected or under-resourced communities, the simple act of managing a period becomes fraught with risk. Without access to clean water, people face discomfort, infections, and social exclusion—a public health issue hiding in plain sight.

3. Displacement and Forgotten Needs

As climate-related disasters force mass displacement, humanitarian aid efforts often overlook menstrual health. Emergency shelters and crisis zones rarely provide adequate menstrual products. For women and girls, this adds an additional layer of vulnerability—one that is both preventable and unconscionable.

These aren’t theoretical problems. They are daily realities—invisible to most, but impossible to ignore for those affected.

The Untold Environmental Cost of Periods

Then there’s the other side of the equation: the waste we create.

Pads and tampons, most of which contain plastic, synthetic fibers, and chemical treatments, can take 500 to 800 years to decompose. Multiply that by billions used annually, and you begin to see the scale of the problem.

The solution isn’t complicated: biodegradable, reusable, and toxin-free period products already exist. But choosing them—and ensuring equitable access—requires collective action.

Because offering period care is about inclusion. Making it sustainable is about responsibility.

How TEC Is Taking Action

At TEC, sustainability has always been core to how we design, build, and operate. From eliminating single-use plastics, to furnishing our centres with responsibly sourced materials, to housing in Grade A, LEED-certified buildings—every detail is intentional. But we know true sustainability goes beyond the bricks and mortar. It extends to the everyday experiences of the people who use our spaces.

That’s why, in 2024, we took our commitment a step further—becoming the first workspace provider in the Asia-Pacific to offer complimentary period products through our Workspace Cares Initiative.

Yet, offering period care is just the beginning. We believe in providing the right care. We’re intentional about our partnerships, working with companies that share our values to ensure the products we offer are both environmentally responsible and ethically made.

In collaboration with LUÜNA, a B Corp-certified menstrual care company, we’ve introduced organic, biodegradable, toxin-free period products across our centres in Singapore, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. More locations are coming soon—because when something matters, you expand it.

And our impact stretches far beyond our own walls. For every 10 pads used in our locations, 1 is donated to someone in need. So far, we’ve distributed over 31,000 pads across Asia, directly supporting communities affected by period poverty.

Earth Month and Beyond: Sustainability That Includes Everyone

Menstrual equity is not a niche issue. It’s a critical piece of the sustainability puzzle, one that connects health, economic opportunity, and environmental justice. As climate change accelerates, the need for integrated, human-centred solutions will only grow more urgent.

This Earth Month, our message is simple: sustainability must serve everyone, or it isn’t sustainability at all. Menstrual health belongs in the climate conversation. Period care belongs in sustainable design. And every business, community, and institution has a role to play.

At TEC, we’re proud to be doing our part—reimagining what a sustainable workspace looks like. One where period care isn’t hidden, plastic-heavy, or treated as an afterthought but is offered freely, designed responsibly, and supported with purpose.

Because when we care for periods, we care for people. And when we care for people, we care for the planet.