Twenty-nine asset owners, institutional investors and stewardship service providers with a collective US$7 trillion in assets have called on the CEOs of the 100 largest UK-listed companies to prioritise mental health management in the workplace. The letter sent by the coalition has asked companies to publicly acknowledge workplace mental health as an important issue and report annually on progress, signal the board and senior management’s commitment to promoting mental health with clear objectives and targets, and publish a policy statement outlining the scope of the company’s commitment and the governance and management processes in place to ensure effective implementation. The coalition, which includes founding signatories of the Global Investor Statement on Workplace Mental Health, is led by responsible investment manager CCLA. This follows the launch of CCLA’s Corporate Mental Health Benchmark – UK 100 in May, which provides investors with insight into current corporate practice on mental health. Amy Browne, Stewardship Lead at CCLA, said: “Creating a workplace that does no harm to the mental or physical health of workers is not only a moral necessity but also a financial imperative. In creating a positive environment for workplace mental health, companies will boost their ability to retain skilled employees, increase their productivity and reduce their financial outgoings.” CCLA will be launching a Global 100 benchmark in October.
