Castlefield supports CCLA Corporate Mental Health Benchmark UK 100

By Ellie Walley

Castlefield is pleased to support the CCLA Corporate Mental Health Benchmark UK 100, a tool designed to improve transparency, disclosure and reporting on workplace mental health by providing a clear framework for businesses.

The benchmark aims to:

  • Ensure that corporate efforts are directed towards activities that positively support the mental health of people at work
  • Encourage greater disclosure on workplace mental health and enhance understanding of the business risks and opportunitiespresented by mental health among private sector employees
  • Equip investors and other stakeholders with a tool for assessing the effectiveness of corporate management of business risks and opportunities associated with mental health across their global operations
  • Define key expectations on workplace mental health, providing investors with an accessible way to understand and evaluate corporate practices

(Source: CCLA Corporate Mental Health Benchmark UK 100, 2022)

ACCORDING TO CCLA, ONLY ONE THIRD OF UK COMPANIES RECOGNISE THE LINK BETWEEN ‘GOOD WORK’ PRINCIPLES AND MENTAL HEALTH (2)

It is now widely accepted that promoting positive mental health in the workplace contributes to a happier, healthier, and more productive working culture. On top of the valuable benefit to employee wellbeing, there is also a business case for tackling mental health in the workplace; enhanced productivity; increased innovation; reduced absence due to sickness; and lower staff turnover among such benefits. (1)

A recent study by Deloitte revealed that every £1 invested in workplace mental health interventions yielded an average return of £5.30, due to a reduction in costs associated with absences and staff turnover.(2)

Clearly, poor mental health incurs significant human and economic costs - it is a problem which demands the immediate attention of the business landscape.

According to CCLA, only one third of UK companies recognise the link between ‘Good Work’ principles and mental health. (2) Good work is comprised of conditions which contribute to a happier and healthier lifestyle, such as; flexible working; fair pay and financial wellbeing; diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI); recruitment and career progression; and anti-bullying.

Not only do Good Work principles facilitate greater job satisfaction, employee retention, progression, and engagement, but they can also greatly benefit employee mental health and prevent new problems from arising due to major triggers like stress.

As part of CCLA’s investor coalition, we will actively engage with investee companies to encourage them to increase disclosure and reporting on workforce mental health, and to deliver improvements which seek to support the mental and physical wellbeing of employees. CCLA’s Global Investor Statement can be found here.

Written by Ellie Walley

1. CCLA Corporate Mental Health Benchmark: UK 100, 2022
2. https://www.ccla.co.uk/mental-health