For the first time, the City Mental Health Alliance (CMHA) has produced an annual report. This details all of its activities in 2020.
CMHA is a not for profit organisation that is business-led. It aims to create a culture of good mental health for City workers, to share best practice and increase mental health understanding. Members include Deloitte, HSBC, Linklaters and Microsoft among others.
The CMHA was started in 2012 at a time when few workplaces were talking about mental health. Since then, by working together and pooling experience, the CMHA has consistently challenged mental health stigma. It has worked to innovate, drive change and put employee mental health on the Boardroom agenda.
Highlights of the year’s activities
Some of the highlights of the CMHA’s work in 2020 include:
- Production of the UK Workplace Guide on how to support the mental health of colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Creation of 10 guides focused on topics including: Supporting victims of domestic abuse; bereavement; trauma; how to build back better; supporting people in their early careers
This year, a CMHA Alliance was launched in Australia. This means that the organisation is now established in the UK, Hong Kong and Australia. It also launched a Global Thriving at Work Framework.
In addition, the CMHA updated its Thriving at Work Guide and UK Thriving at Work Assessment. This is designed to help organisations to measure their progress. It is accompanied by a series of guides designed to help members achieve the CMHA’s Thriving at Work Standards.
The CMHA’s early careers health programme has also grown and evolved.
In solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and in recognition of the health inequalities exposed by the pandemic, the CMHA also launched a Race Equality in Mental Health Toolkit. This is designed to help UK workplaces ensure that they effectively protect, support and create positive mental health for those
colleagues who are Black or from a Minority Ethnic background.
The report also outlines how the CMHA is encouragement a movement for positive societal change.
This is just a selection of the activities outlined in the report. You can access links to the guides referenced above and read full details of the CMHA’s annual report here.
