Bath Building Society has installed a digital mental health crisis intervention tool as part of its commitment to support employee emotional health and suicide prevention.
Through a partnership with R;pple Suicide Prevention Charity, the building society has deployed the R;pple browser extension on all staff computers in order to protect anyone experiencing a mental health crisis.
The tool works by automatically intercepting any online searches for harmful content relating to self-harm or suicide, replacing the results with a calming screen. This then guides them through some breathing exercises and signposts to free, 24/7 mental health services and resources that can be accessed both immediately and in the long term.
All user searches are anonymous and histories or identifiable personal data are not shared or saved.
Richard Ingle, chief executive of Bath Building Society, said: “Bath Building Society has always played an active part in the community, supporting our members and helping build a better future together. We pride ourselves on doing the same for our employees. Deploying R;pple at our workstations strengthens our staff wellbeing programme and creates a safety net for them, ensuring no one is left alone in their darkest hours.
“We are excited to join R;pple on their vital mission to save lives and hope that our example will encourage other building societies to do the same. We are grateful to R;pple for their support and the smooth implementation process. The technology anonymises user searches and does not track or report on personally identifiable data.”
Alice Hendy, founder and CEO of R;pple Suicide Prevention Charity and R;pple Online Safety, added: “It’s inspiring to see Bath Building Society’s commitment to suicide prevention, and we are honoured to support them on their journey to creating a safer and healthier work environment. Prioritising employee wellbeing and mental health is paramount for any organisation that wants to build a sustainable future.”
