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Hospeco Brands Group announced that ISSA’s End Period Poverty campaign is being honored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) with the highest honor for associations, the Power of Associations Summit Award. Fighting period poverty is a cause long championed by Hospeco Brands Group, leading to the founding of its own Period Partner program eight years ago. Hospeco Brands Group’s president and CEO, Tom Friedl, is also the chairman of ISSA’s government advocacy committee and was instrumental in developing and implementing ISSA’s End Period Poverty campaign.
Through End Period Poverty, ISSA advocates for public policies to increase access to menstrual care products, dispensers, and disposal solutions in away-from-home venues. The association also educates and engages the cleaning industry community about period poverty issues as well as providing proper training related to removing potentially harmful bacteria and blood-borne pathogens in bathroom facilities.
“Change isn’t happening fast enough or broadly enough, and our industry is uniquely positioned to further the cause of universal access,” says Friedl. “Through these efforts, we will achieve our goal of making free menstrual care products the rule, not the exception, in all public restrooms. I’m proud of the work Hospeco Brands Group and ISSA have done and am humbled that ISSA is being recognized by ASAE.”
The statistics are staggering. 86 percent of women have started their period unexpectedly in public without supplies. More than 4 in 5 teens have either missed class time or know someone who missed class time because they did not have access to period products. One in three low-income women report missing work, school, or similar events due to a lack of access to period supplies. These instances were linked to reported feelings of embarrassment, disappointment, and depression. Lack of access to period supplies is also linked to stretching product usage and using substitute products like toilet tissue or even socks.
The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), known as “the association for associations,” is the membership organization and voice of the association profession. The Summit Award celebrates the invaluable contributions that associations make to America and the world.
ISSA will receive its Summit Award at a special ASAE ceremony on Sept. 24, 2024, in Washington, D.C.