LEGAL & GENERAL ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF INAUGURAL NOT A RED CARD MENTAL HEALTH AWARDS

2 NOVEMBER 2018

Leading financial services company, Legal & General (L&G) has announced the winners of its inaugural Not a Red Card Awards - celebrating businesses and individuals which have developed and implemented best practices around addressing mental health in the workplace. The Awards and Forum, which took place on 30 October, were developed in collaboration with our consultancy arm, thinkBeyond. 

TV sports presenter, Gabby Logan hosted the awards held at The Oval in London, which recognised businesses who have demonstrated how they have tackled the issue of mental health in the workplace and have exhibited tangible tactics that can be shared with other organisations looking to address mental health.

Last year, a survey by L&G found that over 70% of employees feel more comfortable discussing a physical health injury than a mental health issue with their employer. 81% of employers said they feel comfortable discussing a physical injury with their employee as opposed to 64% who said they felt comfortable discussing a mental health issue.

That’s why since 2017, thinkBeyond has collaborated with L&G on a campaign which uses sport to raise awareness of, and encourage businesses to talk about, mental health in the workplace. Using famous sport personalities, they helped put ‘de-stigmatisation’ in motion, with the purpose of creating an impact within the business community. This culminated in the first-annual Not A Red Card Forum. 

Following on last year’s success, L&G wants to get business to not just talk about the issue, but also to take action. A wide range of resources and tools were created and launched at the Not A Red Card Awards to celebrate businesses that are employing tactics to protect their team’s mental health. 

Winners were chosen from an impressive shortlist from a number of large, well-known businesses that have created initiatives to help raise awareness of mental health in the workplace. The companies include Ford Motor Company Limited and Yorkshire Building Society, as well as nominations for small and medium sized businesses (SME) and individual awards for those who have had a significant impact in the space. 

2018 Not A Red Card Awards winners:

• Best Mental Health Initiative (Large Company) - Yorkshire Building Society

• Best Mental Health Initiative (SME)- Rhondda Housing Association (Hapus Initiative)

• The Collaboration Award – Alex Cotton, founder of It Takes Balls to Talk, with CWPT, Coventry and Warwickshire Mind, Coventry Samaritans, Unite the Union, Public Health Coventry, Public Health Warwickshire

• Innovative Use of Sport- Marcellus Baz Group (Nottingham School of Boxing and Switch Up)

• The Inspiration Award - Claire England (Irwin Mitchell LLP)

The Awards concluded a day of engaging content which included world class speakers, interactive panel discussions, and deep-dive discussions hosted by community sports expert and thinkBeyond Director of Strategy, Radha Balani. Attendees heard from a range of speakers about the importance of having open discussions around mental health, as well as practical guidance and resources which can be used to take action around these issues.

Former Footballing legends Clarke Carlisle and Kelly Smith opened up about their struggles with mental ill health, and the dangers of high performance culture, along with Ian Braid, CEO of DOCIA Sport. Nick Keller, Founder and Director of Beyond Sport and thinkBeyond, moderated the panel which discussed sport’s role in mental health.

Marcellus Baz, winner of the “Innovative Use of Sport Award” for his role as Managing Director of Switch Up, said: “We are delighted to have won this National award...in respect of the work we have done with Nottingham School of Boxing. It has been hugely rewarding to work together to provide a structured, safe environment for young, vulnerable people..”

In addition to the five category awards, the judges awarded three outstanding individuals and companies for their contribution to advancing mental wellness practices:

• Judge’s Award for Innovation - Morgan Sindall (Fatigue Management initiative) 
• Judge’s Award for Breaking the Silence - Lauren Rees (AXA XL)
• Judge’s Award for Leadership - Ford Motor Company Ltd (The Elephant in the Transit campaign) 

For more information on the evening’s other winners, Legal and General’s work to address mental health, and the award-winning Not A Red Card campaign click here.