Debar has joined forces with men’s suicide prevention charity, Andy’s Man Club to help tackle the growing problem that has seen suicide rates in the industry running at over three times the national average.
The collaboration has already seen the Bradford-based bi-fold hardware supplier train a number of staff members to become Mental Health First Aiders to have the knowledge and skills to identify people experiencing poor mental health and have the confidence to start conversations and signpost to additional support.
The company has also donated £1,000 to the national charity.
Debar HR manager Rachel Mortimer said: “It’s shocking to learn that so many people working within the construction industry experience mental ill-health and so we want to do what we can to reassure our team that support is available whenever they need it.
“Ultimately, the mental health of our staff is a number one priority, and we hope that by adding provisions in our workplace we’ll be helping to beat the negative stigma surrounding mental health.
“We’ve chosen to partner with Andy’s Man Club for this initiative because we believe the work they do across the country is incredible. Not only do we want to continue working closely with their team, but we also want to donate to this amazing cause when we can.”
She said the company believes more could be done in the industry to break down the perception of mental health and added: “Prioritising mental health in the workplace is incredibly important to us and introducing our own Mental Health First Aiders seemed like the natural next step on this journey.
