Ark Conway Primary Academy, Deloitte, the Environment Agency, and Lendlease are among the organisations awarded for their efforts to support employees’ mental health at Mind’s inaugural Workplace Wellbeing Index Awards.
The Workplace wellbeing index recognises organisations that promote positive mental health at work, support employees experiencing mental health problems, and take action to address the causes of work-related stress.
Ark Conway Primary Academy and the Environment Agency (pictured with Paul Farmer, chief executive officer at Mind, and awards host Anna Williamson), a public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, were awarded a gold award for achieving excellence. This award celebrates employers that have embedded mental health into their policies and practices and that demonstrate long-term and in-depth support for the mental health of their employees.
The silver award, which recognises employers that have put in place initiatives that have had a demonstrable impact on staff mental health, went to Deloitte, law firm Forsters, Lendlease, law firm Matrix Chambers, and Royal Bank of Canada Wealth Management.
Barnados, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Haringey Council, HM Revenue and Cusotms (HMRC), Jaguar Land Rover, Laing O’Rourke, Morgan Sindall Construction, and PepsiCo UK are among the organisations that were recognised with a bronze award. This award celebrates organisations for achieving change by introducing measures to promote positive mental health in the workplace.
Carole Black, assistant head teacher at Dr Challoner’s Grammar School, and Heidi Kirkby, wellbeing coordinator at HMRC, received the employee champion award for their commitment to prioritising mental health at work.
Dr Andy Croxford, head of research at the Environment Agency, said: “I am hugely proud of what we’ve achieved at the Environment Agency. This recognition is great, to know where we are in terms of supporting our colleagues and where we go from here. Coming top is a complete surprise.
“Workplace wellbeing is something that all employers need to take seriously and we are thrilled to be at the cutting edge when it comes to creating a mentally healthy environment for our employees.”
Emma Mamo, head of workplace wellbeing at Mind, added: “In the last few years, we’ve seen employers make great strides when it comes to tackling stress and supporting the mental wellbeing of their staff, including those with a diagnosed mental health problem. We’re delighted to recognise and celebrate employers making mental health a priority for their organisation through our Workplace wellbeing index.
“In our first year, we’ve seen good practice right across the board, from each and every one of the 30 pioneering employers to take part. The awards event provided an opportunity to recognise those forward-thinking employers which are working hard to promote good mental health and wellbeing among their workforce.”
