BCITO And Dignity Join Forces To Support Women Apprentices In The Trades

Partnership brings free period products to
construction sites across NZ

Wellington,
17 November 2025 – Nearly 1,000 women apprentices
across Aotearoa now have access to free period products
thanks to a new partnership between BCITO and Dignity NZ – a
move designed to normalise conversations about period care
in the trades and promote wellbeing.

Dignity NZ, a
leading advocate for period equity in Aotearoa, and BCITO –
New Zealand’s largest building and construction training
provider, have partnered to provide sustainable period
products through their Actions Speak Louder initiative. The
initiative recognises and responds to the unique needs of
tradeswomen, supporting inclusivity, wellbeing, and a
stronger sense of belonging across the construction
industry.

BCITO currently supports around 13,000
apprentices across 16 trades, including carpentry, joinery,
painting, decorating and stonemasonry. Currently, women make
up around 6% of BCITO’s apprenticeships.

Rotorua
carpentry apprentice Sydney Gill says access to free period
care addresses a simple but significant reality many women
face on the job.

“When you’re out on site,
especially in male-dominated environments, having your
period can be stressful if you’re not prepared, and
sometimes that’s completely out of your control,” she
says.

“Before this, I’d never spoken to my
employer about period products. It just felt too awkward.
But it’s such a small thing that makes a huge difference.
It’s great to see the industry finally normalising
something that affects women at work every
month.”

BCITO’s Principal Advisor Women, Amanda
Williams, says the Dignity partnership represents a turning
point for how the trades sector supports women.

“It
moves beyond surface-level inclusion to address real,
practical barriers,” she says. “It ensures apprentices
don’t have to take time off work or face unnecessary
stress because of something as basic as access to period
products. Providing period products prioritises dignity,
safety, and inclusive design to establish a new national
standard”.

Dignity CEO Lisa
Maathuis says the collaboration builds on growing momentum
across the construction sector. They also work with Hawkins,
which provides period care at its Domestic Jet Terminal
project at Auckland Airport and Summerset Retirement
Villages, which have worked with Dignity since 2022 to offer
period care across all their offices, villages, and
construction sites.

Sally Homer, Summerset’s Head of
Learning and Organisational Development, at Summerset says
it’s an important part of their commitment to fostering an
inclusive and supportive workplace.

“It’s
important that our people feel comfortable and confident
while at work, without having to worry about getting
‘caught short’; they value the products in our
bathrooms, particularly on our construction sites, and we
get feedback that having Dignity is a thoughtful touch in an
often male-dominated environment.”

Maathuis adds,
“We’re proud to see growing momentum across the sector
and a real opportunity to make period care standard in every
workplace, so that no one has to choose between comfort,
dignity, and their career, whether they’re in a boardroom
or on a building site”.

About
Dignity

Founded in 2017, Dignity is a
champion for period equity and education in Aotearoa,
working to ensure that sustainable, organic cotton period
products are available to everyone who needs them, so no one
misses out on work, education, sports or any other
opportunity. Dignity has worked alongside 140 corporate
partners on a ‘buy one, give one’ basis; for every
product available in a workplace for their employees, the
same number is gifted to community organisations, with more
than 1.4 million donated to those in need so far. For more
information, visit www.dignitynz.com

About
BCITO

The Building and Construction Industry
Training Organisation (BCITO) is New Zealand’s leading
training provider for the building and construction sector.
We provide advocacy, resources and support for employers and
apprentices, and oversee training for 16 trades across New
Zealand. Through the BCITO Gateway programme in secondary
schools, we also connect students with on-the-job training
and employment pathways during their studies. Together,
we’re building the people who build New
Zealand.

Under the Actions Speak Louder initiative,
BCITO has partnered with organisations such as Dignity,
Hirepool, NZ Safety Blackwoods, Queens Workwear, Cleanline
Tasman and TrainHer to provide free period products,
sanitary bins and injury-prevention programmes along with
discounted portaloos and women’s
workwear.

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