Balfour Beatty, VolkerStevin, Graham Group and Sisk have signed up to a mental health charter launched by former England international footballer Trevor Steven.
The Mindflow Mental Health Charter was relaunched on World Mental Health Day (10 October) to encourage construction firms to take a more systematic approach to supporting workers’ mental health.
The initiative, developed by construction mental health charity Mindflow, set out 10 principles covering management responsibilities, workplace culture, early intervention and access to support.
Businesses were invited to complete a self-assessment and join a register of firms committing to improving mental health practices.
Mindflow said the charter – originally launched last year – was intended to help contractors move beyond awareness campaigns by embedding mental health support into everyday working practices.
The charity also established a long-term research partnership with the University of Warwick, which will independently evaluate the charter’s implementation and effectiveness as more companies sign up.
Mindflow chief executive Trevor Steven (pictured) said: “Construction has made significant progress in health and safety because the industry came together, set expectations and made improvements part of everyday working life. We believe mental health deserves that same level of commitment.
“We know the conversation around mental health is starting to open up across construction, and that is an important first step. Now, the industry must turn those conversations into action: practical, consistent support that helps people speak openly and get help early when they need it.”
Steven said companies completing the charter’s self-assessment would demonstrate their commitment to treating mental health with the same importance as physical safety.
Mindflow was founded by construction software company Causeway Technologies and is led by Steven, who previously played for Everton, Rangers and England.
The charity uses football to encourage construction workers to discuss mental health, including through its Match-Ups programme, which brings former professional footballers onto construction sites.
Since launching, Mindflow said it had delivered 65 of these sessions and engaged more than 3,500 people across the industry.
The charter adds to existing industry efforts to improve mental health support. Balfour Beatty, for example, previously introduced mental health training for supervisors and established a network of mental health first aiders.
Its 2023 annual report also detailed plans to implement ISO 45003, the international standard providing guidance on managing psychological health and safety at work.
Mindflow said it was seeking further participation from contractors of all sizes, with the University of Warwick’s research intended to identify which measures were most effective.
Source: Mindflow press release
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