British real estate investment firm Intu has signed the Time to Change pledge, committing to better support the mental health issues faced by its 2,500 employees.
The Time to Change employer pledge is run by mental health charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, and aims to educate and change how an organisation thinks about mental wellbeing in the workplace,
Intu has pledged its support and willingness to address the stigma surrounding mental health with a plan of activity that includes running an awareness programme across the business, as well as opening up conversations surrounding the mental wellbeing.
Time to Change, which is funded by the Department of Health, Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund, has been set up to create a positive shift in public attitudes towards mental health problems.
Matthew Roberts, chief executive at Intu, said: “We are absolutely committed to reducing the stigma around mental health and facilitating more open and honest conversations around mental health and wellbeing at Intu.
“The importance of good mental health and wellbeing is something I have felt passionately about for many years. I shared this at my first [organisation-wide] meeting when I became chief executive earlier this year, and I have been delighted by the fantastic response and support from across the business that is helping us to start this important journey.”
Jo Loughran, interim director at Time to Change, said: “We know it can be hard to talk about mental health, which is why we’re supporting employers to open up; to talk and to listen. Too many people with mental health problems are made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless, but with the right support, those of us with mental health problems can recover and have equal opportunities in all areas of life. Everyone’s attitude makes a difference and it’s fantastic to see organisations like Intu taking the lead.
“Many leading employers have found that making a strategic commitment to the mental wellbeing of their workforce not only benefits their staff but also their bottom-line, improving productivity and staff retention. With one in six British workers experiencing mental illness it's time for businesses to make a change and start creating more mentally healthy workplaces."
