CSF’s operations director Kris Corns and HR manager and executive assistant Tara Sankar have both successfully attained a level two Certificate in Understanding Mental Health First Aid and Mental Health Advocacy in the Workplace.

All remaining senior management team members and line managers will receive training in the coming weeks to better understand the principles and implementation of mental health in the workplace.

In addition, the company will change its one-to-one annual performance appraisals (APAs) to include a specific focus on wellbeing as well as performance.

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Jason Berry, group sales and marketing director at CSF (pictured above), said: “I am delighted that Kris and Tara volunteered their valuable time in order to gain these new skills which equip them to help our company better serve the needs of staff who may be struggling with their mental health. 

“The plan is certainly to ensure that relevant knowledge cascades so all managers within Crystal understand how to identify and best support colleagues who may be struggling. 

“Unfortunately, the bigger picture still suggests that our specialist finance marketplace is continuing to underserve the mental health and wellbeing topic, and I therefore hope to announce news very soon which will attempt to address this shortcoming.” 

The changes are part of the business’s ongoing health and wellbeing campaign which is looking to help individuals in the finance sector identify and take the necessary steps to overcome isolation, stress, grief, financial worries, and fears about the future.

Staff at the specialist distributor are already heavily engaged in a programme of ongoing activities with enjoyable monthly challenges, weekly Wellbeing Wednesday sessions, and regular fundraising events for partner and mental health charity, Mind, for which it aims to raise £25,000 this year.