GenM, the business behind the MTick symbol for menopause-friendly products, has been named a finalist in The Dext Innovation Award at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2026.
The company, which describes itself as the Menopause Partner for Brands, certifies products that meet strict criteria for supporting one or more of the 48 recognised signs of menopause, and reports that the MTick is the world’s first symbol and certification of its kind.
GenM will now compete in The Dext Innovation Award 2026 ahead of the winners’ ceremony at Grosvenor House in London on 10 November 2026.
A gap hiding in plain sight
GenM was founded in 2021 by Heather Jackson, who was navigating her own perimenopause when she was struck by how little accurate information, credible product choice and support was available. The problem she identified was a societal one that had gone largely unnoticed: 15.5 million women in the UK experiencing perimenopause and menopause who could not find products to support them. Rather than launch a product of her own, Jackson set up GenM with a mission to unite brands and retailers to improve women’s lived experience of menopause.
The scale of that audience is well documented. According to NHS guidance, menopause usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 55, and symptoms typically last for seven to nine years, sometimes longer.
From symbol to shelf
After conducting independent research into the needs of menopausal women, GenM concentrated on developing the MTick, which the company reports is the world’s first universal shopping symbol created to signpost menopause-friendly products in store and online. Products must satisfy strict criteria before they can carry the mark, helping consumers search, source and shop with confidence. The certification framework is set out in full on GenM’s website.
The MTick now spans categories from supplements and skincare to haircare and femcare, and according to the business more than 150 brands and retailers have united behind the standard, building what it calls a pioneering new retail category of menopause-friendly shopping. GenM also works directly with retailers to create dedicated menopause-friendly fixtures and aisles in store and online, with partners including Boots, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda and Ocado. That retail rollout has attracted sustained coverage in the trade press, with titles including The Grocer and Retail Gazette reporting on dedicated menopause aisles and MTick product bays appearing across UK stores.
Research with a purpose
Certification is only part of the proposition. GenM produces proprietary research, including its Invisibility and Inclusivity Reports, which are designed to make information about menopause more accessible and to educate brands, retailers and consumers alike. All of it supports the company’s wider mission of empowering women to approach menopause with trust and confidence.
GenM now waits to learn the outcome alongside its fellow Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards finalists when the winners are revealed in November.
