Ernst & Young wins Mental Health First Aid England Award 2015

EY has been recognised for helping to improve mental health awareness in the workplace, winning a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England Award 2015.

The firm has taken progressive action by training more than 200 employees in Mental Health First Aid, to support the well-being of its 13,000 people in the UK. The firm’s ‘Thinking Differently’ initiative was commended as ‘inspirational’ by MHFA, when awarded the ‘Workplace MHFA Champion Award 2015’ at a presentation at the House of Lords.

235 employees attended Mental Health First aid training at EY in 2014, acting as one of the first points of contact for staff facing mental health challenges or seeking advice. The firm has also formed a mental health buddy scheme to provide an informal support network to anyone affected by a mental health condition and worked with its providers to develop a joined up psychological care pathway.

Steve Wilkinson, EY’s UK & Ireland Managing Partner for client service, and Partner Sponsor of Health EY says: “Mental ill health affects 1 in 6 of the British workforce, yet there is a reluctance to talk about it. We are tackling the stigma of mental health, which is often viewed as the last workplace taboo.

“In the same way that anyone can get a cold or flu, anyone can be affected by a mental health issue. We wanted mental and physical health to hold equal weight in our wellbeing programme – Health EY.”

EY was one of the UK’s first professional services firm to sign up to eight pledges in the Department of Health’s ‘Public Health Responsibility Deal’ last year, as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the emotional, mental and physical health of its employees.

MHFA England has trained 85,500 people in mental health life-saving skills. Much like physical first aid, MHFA is designed to equip people with the knowledge and confidence to spot the signs and symptoms of someone in distress and offer help on a first aid basis. MHFA England is part of a growing international movement, active in 23 countries around the world and with 750,000 people MHFA trained worldwide.

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