Sanctus launches 'The Mental Health Pledge' for employers on #WorldMentalHealthDay

by Startacus Admin

“Bring Your Full Self To Work” – a new pledge for businesses to support mental health in the workplace has been launched by Sanctus, a startup who are on a mission to change the perception of mental health.

Launched on World Mental Health Day, (#WorldMentalHealthDay) founding signatories include Redbull, education technology co. Makers Academy and recruitment firm Cranberry Panda, with Onfido, carwow, Wonderbly, GrantTree, Learnerbly, Goodlord, and Lexoo noteable startups who have signed the pledge so far. 

Based in Shoreditch, London, Sanctus want to see a world where mental health is treated in exactly the same way as physical health. Launched today, their Mental Health Pledge outlines a practical framework for businesses to support mental health in the workplace, so people can bring their full selves to work. The Pledge states; “We pledge to create an open environment where mental health is supported, and people can bring their full selves to work”.

The 10 point Pledge encourages businesses to discuss mental and physical wellbeing in 1 to 1 conversations, allow mental health days for staff and ensure that mental health issues aren’t a permanent barrier to career progression. It tries to go further than other campaigns and encourage employers to really change the culture at work.

It was the story of Madelyn Parker, who's boss backed her decision to take a mental health day off work, that inspired Sanctus to launch its own Mental Health Pledge for every business in Britain. Madelyn’s story went viral. “We saw Madelyn’s tweet and the response it got and thought, that should be the standard, not the exception!” says James Routledge, co-founder of Sanctus.

”We work with businesses who are pioneering progressive approaches to mental health in the workplace and have seen the benefits. There’s a lot of talk about mental health, but few people are actually taking action.” 

“Any business can sign this Pledge, no matter where they are on their journey and it can be implemented very cheaply and easily,” adds George Bettany, Sanctus’ co-founder. “We hope to see a wide range of businesses adopting the Pledge. Everyone has mental health and every organisation has the capability to promote it at work.”

Sanctus works with over 20 partners to provide mental health coaching in the workplace and aims to put the first mental health gym on the high street.

We first highlighted the work that Sanctus undertake in our article on Depression, Mental Health, Entrepreneurship & Startups and it's great to see their continued work and effort in creating an environment where mental health is not only discussed but fully supported and embraced. 

Of course the mental health pledge may reaffirm how your organisation already operates or it may be an example of where you’d like to get to, but either way, we encourage you to take a look at all the details and to make sure you share word on an iniative that all business, big and small, can and should truly embrace.

We will be signing the pledge ourselves and pledge to share word on this initiative far and wide.

Join Goodlord, Forward3D, Lexoo, Red Bull, Born Social, Wonderbly, Citizen, carwow, The Eleven, Cranberry Panda, Granttree, Learnerbly, Onfido, Grabble, CharlieHR, Episode1 & Makers Academy, who have already made the pledge. High-5's to them all. 

Encourage your employer to sign up. 

If you are an employer, register to see the full pledge and sign up. 

 

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• #mental health
• #sanctus
• ##worldmentalhealthday
• #mental health pledge
• #hr
• #personnel
• #workplace

Published on: 6th October 2017