We support our people with a positive and open culture on mental health by raising awareness and de-stigmatizing the topic through information, understanding and acceptance:

• Range of targeted support for those with mental health challenges to enable active participation in life and work e.g. mental health ‘check’
• Encouraging peer support with our 447 Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) globally as a way of providing guidance and advice during the early signs of mental health challenges
• A wide variety of wellbeing resources e.g. self-care apps, webinars, engage sessions, materials, mindfulness sessions, virtual Yoga sessions, etc.
• Launch of the bank’s first Mental Health Awareness e-learning - developed by employees for employees

Some examples from our regions:

• In the Americas region we have offered weekly employee-led meditation sessions, launched the Americas Mental Health First Aider Program and hosted a series of wellbeing programs
• In Australia we celebrated “RUOK? Day” across the region including celebrity talk on “Living with Authenticity” by Olympian athlete to encourage conversations on this topic
• Mental Health Awareness Week celebrated in India in June, 2021 with over 10 events focusing on candid conversations, personal stories and conversations with senior leadership. Participation from more than 3,600 employees supported by 150+ MHFAs from India & overseas and 40+ volunteers
• In EMEA we have offered various webinars on stress management, anxiety, and resilience and in the Netherlands our colleagues were able to enroll in the “School of Life” initiative, which provides guidance on how to lead a more fulfilling life.
• In Germany we have launched the “Health Campaign 2021” to raise awareness with several virtual well-being initiatives (e.g. workshops / videos / talks) with our partners. We have also run the first Mental Health First Aid pilot in the Corporate Bank and have offered Mental Health Awareness courses for our Managers.
• In the UK/I region our MHFA community hosted regular engage sessions and workshops and launched the global initiative “100 days of happiness” where employees were able to share positive memories and thoughts with each other for 100 days in the run-up to World Mental Health day.
• In support of World Mental Health Day, we provided online events across the globe to openly discuss the topic of mental health, share stories and reduce the stigma associated with it, with the ultimate goal of fostering a healthy, inclusive work environment.

Structures in place to provide support to individuals in time of need:

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and professional counselling services
• Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) or equivalent (location appropriate) when stress becomes overwhelming, and employees need immediate guidance: Our global MHFA program in the Americas, APAC, EMEA, Germany and the UK continues to support our employees in time of need. Our 447 Mental Health First Aiders are not medically trained therapists or psychiatrists, but colleagues who can offer emotional and practical support through non-judgmental listening and guidance and can point employees to existing resources.  

Some examples from our regions: 

• In New York and Jacksonville we are offering on-site mental health counsellors in addition to the nationwide EAP program.
• In the UK/I region our employees can schedule a wellbeing appointment to talk to a General Practitioner for 30 minutes about their wellbeing concerns and a Family Mental Health support line has been put in place for employees to talk about any concern they have for their children’s mental health.
• The regional Asia Pacific EAP vendor developed a COVID-19 Toolkit addressing loneliness & social isolation, suicide awareness, domestic violence and the impact of the pandemic.