What Is Movember? Meaning, Rules and Workplace Ideas for 2026

Movember is a global men's health campaign that runs every November, asking people to grow a moustache, move, host or set their own challenge to raise money for men's mental health, suicide prevention and prostate and testicular cancer. Movember 2026 runs from 1 to 30 November, with International Men's Day falling on 19 November. Justin "JC" Coghlan, one of Movember's co-founders, shared how it started and why men's mental health sits at the centre of it.

Justin "JC" Coghlan

JC Coghlan co-founded Movember, the global men's health movement that has raised more than $1 billion since 2003. He has spoken for organisations including Adobe, Mercedes and Screwfix, and gives audiences practical frameworks for supporting male colleagues, opening up conversations about mental health and leading with more empathy.

Learn more and book Justin "JC" Coghlan →

What is Movember?

Movember is an annual fundraising campaign for men's health that takes place every November. Participants raise money by growing a moustache, moving 60 kilometres over the month, hosting an event or setting their own challenge. The Movember Foundation uses the funds for men's mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

The name joins "mo", Australian slang for moustache, with November. Movember started in Melbourne in 2003, when 30 men agreed to grow moustaches for the month and use them to start conversations about men's health. JC was one of them. It has since become the world's largest men's health movement, running in more than 20 countries.

The moustache was always the point. JC describes it as a "walking, talking billboard" for men's health: a visible prompt that gets people asking questions, which opens the door to conversations about subjects men often avoid.

What does Movember raise money for?

Movember raises money for three areas of men's health: mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. The Movember Foundation funds research, prevention programmes and support services in each area, and has raised more than $1 billion since it began in 2003.

Mental health has become a bigger part of the work over time. Movember focuses on prevention, tackling problems "upstream" before they reach crisis point, through tools like Mo Conversations and Family Man and through community programmes that build connection.

What are the rules of Movember?

The rules of Movember depend on how you choose to take part. There are four ways in, and each one is about raising money and starting conversations about men's health during November:

• Grow. Start clean-shaven on 1 November and grow a moustache for the whole month. It has to be a moustache: no beards, and no goatees.
• Move. Walk or run 60 kilometres over the month, one for each of the 60 men lost to suicide every hour around the world.
• Host. Bring people together for a fundraising event, from a quiz to a "Mo Party".
• Mo Your Own Way. Set your own challenge, make it ambitious, and commit to it.

Anyone can take part. Women who join in are known as Mo Sisters, and they can move, host, set a challenge or donate.

How can organisations mark Movember at work?

Organisations can mark Movember at work by combining a team fundraising challenge with something that gets colleagues talking about men's health. These Movember ideas for the office work for teams of any size:

• Start a team Mo challenge. Create a workplace team on the Movember site and track who grows the best moustache.
• Move together. Set a team goal of 60 kilometres each over the month, and schedule group walks at lunchtime.
• Host an event. Run a quiz, bake sale or "Mo Party" at the end of the month to raise funds.
• Book a men's mental health speaker. A keynote from a speaker like JC Coghlan gives people permission to talk openly and practical tools to support each other.
• Share support resources. Remind everyone how to access your employee assistance programme and mental health first aiders.
• Train people to have the conversation. Introduce Movember's ALEC approach (Ask, Listen, Encourage, Check in) so colleagues know how to start a supportive conversation.

November is a good month to plan around because Movember and International Men's Day land together. A talk on or around 19 November can anchor a month of team activity. Browse more International Men's Day speakers if you're planning for both.

What does JC Coghlan talk about?

JC Coghlan talks about men's mental health, workplace wellbeing and what Movember has learned from more than two decades of getting men to open up. He gives two main talks, both available as in-person keynotes with Q&A:

• Supporting Men's Mental Health. The story behind Movember and why men's mental health needs attention, with practical ways for colleagues to support each other.
• The Time We Have. For senior leaders: how to balance family, work and self-care, recognise when you're struggling, and protect your own wellbeing so you can lead others well.

He has spoken for organisations including Adobe, Mercedes, Screwfix, Weatherbys Private Bank and Milestone Infrastructure.

"It was a great session, and it was really good to see people asking so many questions. Lots commenting that it was the highlight of their day."Milestone Infrastructure

"Talk was fantastic and I hope people will take lots from it into their everyday life. JC was a great speaker..."Mercedes

Why does men's mental health need a spotlight?

Men's mental health needs a spotlight because men are less likely to talk about how they're feeling and more likely to die by suicide. Movember reports that around three in four suicides globally are men, with a life lost roughly every minute. JC's view is that the answer starts with making it easier for men to talk.

JC explained that men often prefer to talk "shoulder to shoulder" instead of face to face, which makes social settings like pubs or sports events good places to open up. Movember has worked to create spaces where men can talk without feeling pressured.

What triggers affect men's mental health?

JC outlined four life events that significantly affect men's mental health, particularly for middle-aged men:

1. Loss of a job or business
2. Relationship breakdowns
3. The birth of a child
4. The death of a loved one

Knowing these triggers helps friends, families and employers spot when someone might need support, and offer it early.

What is social scaffolding?

Social scaffolding is one of Movember's main strategies for men's mental health: building strong social networks that support men through tough times. JC emphasised the importance of staying connected with friends, so men who feel isolated know they're not alone.

Movember's digital tools support this. Mo Conversations, based on the ALEC model (Ask, Listen, Encourage, Check in), guides people through conversations about mental health. Family Man helps fathers feel less isolated and offers tips on the challenges of parenthood.

How can men have more honest conversations?

JC addressed the often taboo subject of male vulnerability. For years, men have been conditioned to suppress their emotions and avoid appearing weak, which has made it harder to open up about mental health. JC believes this is changing, slowly, as more men recognise that admitting they're not okay is okay.

One of the hardest but most necessary things JC has learned is to approach difficult conversations directly. He now advocates asking someone outright whether they are thinking about suicide if they seem to be in crisis. It's a hard question to ask, but it can save lives. The Mo Conversations tool gives guidance on what to say and what not to say, and mental health speakers can also train your team on how to approach these conversations.

» READ MORE: Insights from Gamal Turawa and John Moe's PepTalks for Mental Health Awareness Week.

Where can people get support?

For anyone struggling who doesn't know where to turn, JC recommends contacting organisations that offer peer support and expert advice. Movember focuses on prevention, so in the UK he encourages people to contact organisations like Mind or Samaritans for immediate help. Samaritans can be reached free, day or night, on 116 123.

What is Movember's legacy?

Movember's legacy, for JC, is measured in the stories and lives changed as much as in the money raised. He finds inspiration in everyday acts of bravery, whether it's someone climbing a mountain for a Movember fundraiser or sharing their own mental health story.

Movember's Innovation Challenges have tackled mental health issues in specific communities. In one project, Movember worked with Inuit communities in Northern Canada, where youth suicide rates were alarmingly high. By reconnecting young people with traditional skills like hunting and fishing, the programme helped build a sense of purpose and belonging, and Movember reports that no lives have been lost to suicide in that community since it began.

Looking ahead, JC is focused on a continuum of support that follows people from childhood into adulthood, so they have the tools and networks to handle life's challenges before they become crises. His final message is simple: it's okay not to be okay. Whether you're struggling or know someone who is, reach out and check in.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Movember 2026?

Movember 2026 runs from 1 to 30 November. It takes place every November, and International Men's Day falls in the middle of it on 19 November.

What does Movember mean?

Movember means moustache November. The name joins "mo", Australian slang for moustache, with November, the month the campaign runs, and it stands for a month of fundraising and conversation about men's health.

Is Movember an Australian thing?

Yes, Movember is Australian in origin. It started in Melbourne in 2003 with 30 men growing moustaches, and it now runs in more than 20 countries, including the UK, Ireland, Canada and the US.

Can women take part in Movember?

Yes, women can take part in Movember. Movember calls them Mo Sisters, and they join in by moving 60 kilometres over the month, hosting an event, setting their own challenge or donating.

What are good Movember ideas for the office?

Good Movember ideas for the office include a team moustache challenge, group walks towards the 60 kilometre Move goal, a fundraising quiz or bake sale, and a talk from a men's mental health speaker. Pairing fundraising with a reminder of the support available makes the month count for more.

💡 Planning Movember or International Men's Day at work? Book Justin "JC" Coghlan to bring the story behind Movember to your team, or send us a message via the chat and we'll find the right speaker for your audience. November books up quickly, so get in touch early. Remember, it's always a good time to get a PepTalk!