Mental health charter launches for finance industry

The non-profit organisation was launched in order to take forward the recommendations of the Stevenson and Farmer ‘Thriving at Work’ report produced for the government in 2017.

The MIMHC was founded by seven specialist finance firms, including:

• Crystal Specialist Finance
• Coreco
• Chartwell Mortgage Services
• Landbay
• The Brightstar Group
• Knowledge Bank
• SimplyBiz Mortgages

The organisation will continuously develop reference material and produce practical support to signatories — available on the MIMHC website — to ensure they understand the best practice in mental health and wellbeing.

Those who visit the website will also be signposted towards experts who can provide support to those most in need.

In addition, the MIMHC will produce an annual review to demonstrate how the mortgage industry is performing against key mental health metrics and whether the sector is progressing in improving the wellbeing of staff.

Signatories to the charter commit to the following pledges:

• developing mental health awareness among employees using activities and advocacy
• encouraging open conversations about mental health and the support available to employees who may be struggling
• providing employees with good working conditions that encourage a healthy work-life balance and opportunities for development
• promoting effective people management through line managers and ensuring there is a focus on physical and mental wellbeing, as well as performance
• routinely monitoring employee mental health and wellbeing through surveys and regular contact with managers
• having a named contact for mental health support

Jason Berry, group sales and marketing director at Crystal Specialist Finance, said: “There is a lot of work for all of us across the mortgage industry to do in order to provide more substantial support to the mental health and wellbeing of our colleagues. 

“The pandemic has thrown the importance of our mental health into sharp focus, and I’m certain that the MIMHC will give businesses across the sector a helping hand in delivering best practice. 

“We look forward to welcoming more signatories to the charter from across the industry.”

Nicola Firth, founder and CEO of Knowledge Bank, commented: “We are incredibly proud to be co-founders of the MIMHC. 

“The help that this initiative will provide will be far reaching, giving both companies and individuals a point of reference for valuable materials and guidance. 

“We’re committed to making the path to both providing and receiving help with regard to mental health issues as easy as possible.”

Rob Jupp, group CEO at The Brightstar Group, added: "We all have mental health and we are all vulnerable to suffering poor mental health, which can often be debilitating and isolating. 

“We’ve always taken mental health very seriously at Brightstar and have a team of mental health first aiders available to help any of our people who may be suffering. 

“I’m so pleased that this mental health charter for the mortgage industry has got off the ground and absolutely delighted that Brightstar is a signatory to it. 

“We can all do more to help our friends, colleagues, family and ourselves when it comes to mental health, and the charter will help us to do that."