TRSS partnership makes free menstrual products more accessible

Thanks to a partnership between the Ted Rogers Students’ Society (TRSS) and Joni (external link, opens in new window) , a sustainable period care company, free menstrual products are now available through dispensers at the Ted Rogers School of Management for the first time. 

Sinduja Sriskantharajah, TRSS’s Vice-President of Corporate Relations, knew that period care products were given out in the TRSS office from her previous years working with the group, but she wanted to expand access because students had come up to her in the hallways and in washrooms asking her if she had any products. 

“Since everyone didn’t know the TRSS office has period care products, I felt having dispensers in the washrooms would provide a permanent solution, and students would feel more comfortable accessing the products,” she says. 

Sriskantharajah reached out to Hilda Mativo and Rita Lingner on Ted Rogers School’s Facilities team to explain her vision and the period project initiative she wanted to start. They were very supportive and were able to get Facilities Management on board. “Since my position at TRSS is working with partnerships, I decided to look for a brand to partner with to launch this project across the Ted Rogers School,” Sriskantharajah explains.

Research and partnership

Sriskantharajah and her team researched how other universities have implemented their period care projects and various sustainable period care brands. The team met with five different brands, and decided to partner with the company Joni because their values and mission resonated with the impact TRSS was hoping to make in the Ted Rogers School community. The group also liked the fact that the company gives back to various NGOs and works towards addressing period poverty and promoting menstrual equity sustainably.

Joni has donated over 16,000 period care products to distribute within Ted Rogers School washrooms so far, and that will continue to grow in the years to come. “This is the first time at the Ted Rogers School we have had dispensers implemented giving free pads and tampons to staff, faculty, guests and students,” says Sriskantharajah. “Through this initiative, we hope to address period poverty and promote menstrual equity, as well as continue to promote the health and well-being of our student population.” 

Sriskantharajah points out that at other universities with similar initiatives, it’s usually the schools that cover the costs for the period care products. “But in this case, it is a partnership secured by the students for the students,” she says.

"Our TRSS Board of Directors were supportive of this project because they saw the impact it would make to the 12,000+ undergrad, full-time students at the Ted Rogers School and guests who use our building,” she explains. “We are also tackling a broader issue of period poverty and promoting period equity.”

Joni also provided Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students with the discount code “TMU” to use for 15% off their first online purchase at getjoni.com (opens in new window)  until March 9, 2025.

Successful launch

TRSS started a pilot for the program in the Ted Rogers School staff washroom. After its success, the group expanded it to the rest of the school community throughout all three floors of the building. The dispensers were launched on International Women's Day this year (March 8, 2024).

Currently, there are four period care dispensers providing free pads and tampons at the Ted Rogers School. On the 7th floor, there are two dispensers – one in the all-gender/accessibility washroom and one in the women's washroom close to the escalators. On the 8th and 9th floors, there is one dispenser each in the women's washroom close to the escalators.

Students can scan the QR codes on the dispensers to provide TRSS feedback on the service and ask any questions. TRSS has received positive feedback from students so far, with some mentioning how it has helped them when in need. 

Sriskantharajah adds that she recently had a meeting with other student engagement managers across faculties at TMU who are interested in implementing period care dispensers and this project within their faculty. “This shows the huge success of the project, and in the future, we can work to make this a TMU-wide initiative,” she says.