Grant Thornton & Riley Period Care
Building an Inclusive Workplace Through
Accessible Period Care
98% of surveyed employees agreed this initiative contributed to a more inclusive and supportive workplace.
Introduction
Grant Thornton is one of the world’s leading professional services firms, known for its commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace. With approximately 3,000 employees across Ireland, the firm recognises that creating a truly inclusive culture means meeting the every-day needs of all team members.
As part of this commitment, Grant Thornton partnered with Riley three years ago to introduce free and accessible period care products across its offices in Ireland, Isle of Man and Gibraltar. This initiative is one of the many steps the firm has taken to promote wellbeing, gender equality, and a culture of care.
To explore the impact of this partnership, Riley’s Co-Founder, Áine Kilkenny, spoke with some of the leaders championing equity and inclusion within the firm and also gathered insights directly from employees through an anonymous feedback survey, because building an inclusive workplace starts with listening to the people in it.
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Shauna Rahman,
Associate Director of Equity,
Diversity & Inclusion
“You're not just championing gender equality, you’re championing a basic need, but it's not something that's widely accessible across our corporate networks. So for me, I just think it’s something that everyone should be thinking about.“
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Dan Holland,
Audit and Assurance Partner, and Chair of the ED&I Steering Committee
“In truth, it's probably something that we should have done sooner. We view it as simply a basic human right for our employees. My advice to other companies is to just do it, It should be there, you should be providing it.“
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Ann-Marie Costello,
Deal Advisory Partner, and Executive Sponsor of Gender Equality
“I'd have no hesitation in recommending Riley to other companies. It's a partnership we are really proud of. The equality, accessibility and the inclusivity it provides- it’s something we wonder why we haven’t always done.“
Filling a Critical Gap: Why Grant Thornton Introduced Riley
Grant Thornton’s leadership team recognised the need to address a fundamental yet often overlooked workplace necessity, access to period products.
Their key motivations included:
Commitment to inclusivity
Creating a workplace where all employees feel supported, no matter their gender.
"It removes another barrier from being a woman in the workplace versus our male counterparts." - Grant Thornton employee
Recognising a basic human need
With at least 50% of their workforce menstruating, providing period products was a logical and necessary step.
“In truth, it's probably something that we should have done sooner. We view it simply as a basic human right for our female employees that we are providing the products in all the bathrooms across our offices in Ireland.“- Dan Holland, Chair of the ED&I Steering Committee
Reducing stress and anxiety
Ensuring employees never have to worry about being unprepared.
"It reduces the stress and anxiety of getting your period unexpectedly, knowing that there are free products available in the bathroom when needed." - Grant Thornton employee
Offering a cost-effective and accessible solution
Allowing employees to focus on work without unnecessary distractions.
"Supporting women’s health ensures that all products are available to everyone, removing the worry of not being able to afford them." - Grant Thornton employee
Rolling It Out: A Seamless Partnership
The implementation of Riley's solution was smooth, collaborative, and driven by purpose
Tailored Planning from the Start
Riley began by providing a bespoke proposal designed specifically to meet Grant Thornton’s needs, ensuring alignment from day one.
“The ease with which we were able to engage with Riley and interact with Riley when we started with the process of actually putting the products in all of our offices, you made that process really easy for us.“
- Dan Holland, Chair of the ED&I Steering Committee
Strong Internal Buy-In
Grant Thornton’s leadership played a key role, securing internal support through open, transparent conversations around wellbeing and inclusion.
Dedicated Support
A dedicated Riley account manager oversaw the entire rollout process and continues to provide ongoing support, helping ensure long-term impact and engagement.
Education and Engagement
Riley offers continuous support through on-site workshops, educating employees about women’s health and wellbeing, sustainability and tackling period poverty.
“ Riley's on-site talk during our International Women’s Day celebration was truly powerful; the information covered on the impact that period products (or lack thereof) can have on young girls in Ireland and globally was inspiring.”
– Michelle Murphy, People & Culture, and Gender Equality Lead
Tangible Results: A Shift in Culture and Wellbeing
Since implementing Riley’s period care solution, Grant Thornton has seen real impact:
98% of surveyed employees agreed the initiative contributed to a more inclusive and supportive workplace.
Top reported benefits included:
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Reduced stress and anxiety
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More comfort and confidence in the office
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Stronger perception of Grant Thornton as a caring employer
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Greater inclusivity in the workplace
How partnering with Riley aligns with Grant Thornton’s business goals
Beyond employee wellbeing, Grant Thornton’s partnership with Riley aligns with broader business goals, including:
Collapsible content
Supporting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Ensuring access to essential products as part of a holistic inclusion strategy.
“It's no longer a nice to have, it's an absolute need to create an environment where all staff can thrive and all staff are treated equally.“ - Ann-Marie Costello, Executive Sponsor of Gender Equality
Sustainability Goals
- Riley’s sustainable period products, made from 100% organic cotton, eco-friendly, and B-Corp certified, align with Grant Thornton’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
“We chose Riley because of the credentials that you have, not only were we looking for a credible provider who was already engaging with large corporations and doing it very well, but also it was the quality of the product itself and the sustainability aspect of the products you provide because we have a clear focus on sustainability here.“- Dan Holland, Chair of the ED&I Steering Committee
Financial Considerations
- Providing accessible period care is a low-cost, high-impact investment that helps reduce absenteeism and presenteeism, boosts employee morale and retention, and demonstrates a tangible commitment to inclusivity. Riley’s ROI calculator can help businesses quantify this impact.
“I am more comfortable working in the office when previously I would have opted to stay at home.”- Grant Thornton employee
Empowering Female Founders
Partnering with Riley, a women-led business, further reinforces their commitment to gender equality.
Tackling Period Poverty: Grant Thornton’s Broader Impact
Period poverty is a serious, yet often overlooked, public health issue that affects women and girls in both high- and low-income countries. It refers to the inability to access the products, education, and facilities needed to manage menstrual health.
Period Poverty is estimated to affect 500 million people worldwide. For those that do not have access to the products and facilities they need, periods can result in missed school or work and can negatively impact their health (United Nations, 2024).
Through its partnership with Riley, Grant Thornton is contributing meaningfully to the fight against this global issue.
Riley works with three key charitable partners:
- Positive Period Ireland
- Bloody Good Period (UK)
- Development Pamoja (Kenya)
To date, Riley has distributed over 100,000 free period products and provided menstrual health education to more than 7,000 students in Kenya.
By choosing Riley as its workplace period care provider, Grant Thornton makes a direct impact, contributing a 10% charitable donation on every order, which helps fund menstrual equity programmes in the communities that need them most.
”I’m proud that Grant Thornton is not only providing free, sustainable period products to staff, but also supporting a business like Riley that is actively working to eradicate period poverty. It’s a small change with a huge impact — on dignity, equality, and sustainability.”- Holly Martin, Gender Equality Lead
This commitment reflects Grant Thornton’s belief that building an inclusive workplace also means helping to build a more equitable world.
What's Next?
Following three years of successful collaboration, Grant Thornton has renewed its partnership with Riley, signalling the next phase in a long-term journey to embed equity at every level of the organisation. We’re proud to continue supporting Grant Thornton in shaping a more inclusive and equitable workplace and we’re super excited for what’s ahead.
“The future of our firm is multinational and our local dedication and commitment to inclusion will expand to our colleagues globally. Maintaining and sustaining partnerships, like Riley, which have impacted our people so positively, is consistent with our strategic global inclusion goals, where our colleagues are front and centre, along with our clients and communities. I look forward to the benefits this partnership will continue to bring in the next three years.”
Shauna Rahman, Associate Director of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Ready to Make Inclusion Practical?
If you’re looking for a simple, effective way to foster a more inclusive, sustainable, and supportive workplace, Riley would love to help.
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