The UK’s leading business organisation, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which speaks for some 240,000 businesses, has signed as a Responsibility Deal partner.
The CBI, whose members together employ around a third of the private sector workforce, has pledged to improve how it manages employees with a mental health condition and the wellbeing of all its staff.
In signing up to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Pledge, the CBI commit to: ‘create an environment where anyone with past or present experience of mental health issues is valued, respected and able to flourish. This will involve providing all staff with the environment, knowledge and tools to develop and maintain emotional resilience and mental wellbeing, while raising awareness of, and providing support for, mental health in the workplace.’
Dame Carol Black, Chair of the health at work network that developed the pledge said:
“I am extremely pleased that the CBI has signed up to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Pledge for its own employees. This action sends a strong clear message to all members of the CBI on the importance of ensuring that employee mental and emotional wellbeing is embedded into the culture and HR policies of every organisation”.
“I hope that the CBI’s commitment to the Public Health Responsibility Deal will encourage other businesses and organisations to become partners too. There is a wide range of possible health pledges. Besides mental health they cover other aspects of health at work, physical activity, food and alcohol. Each commitment is designed to help improve the health and wellbeing of every employee, and at the same time bring tangible benefits to business”.
Lena Levy, CBI Head of Labour Markets, said:
“The CBI is proud to sign up to the Mental Health and Wellbeing pledge”.
“A productive workforce is a healthy, fit and psychologically resilient one, and there is still more to be done on tackling the unacceptable stigma that exists around workplace mental health”.
“The pledge plays an important part in engaging businesses and bringing this agenda into the public space.”
