The charter provides seven key actions that support companies in preventing and addressing mental ill-health, including senior level sponsorship and accountability. Senior leaders play a key role in defining an organisation’s culture, progressing the mental health agenda, and effecting change within an organisation. In the absence of such leadership, an organisation will be limited in what it can do to improve the mental health of its workforce. It will also struggle to combat the stigma and even prejudice and discrimination against employees who suffer with poor mental health.

In 2022, GB Railfreight changed the format and content of one of its all-staff briefings. The company focused on mental health and gave employees the opportunity to put questions to Business Development Director Tim Hartley, who shared his own mental health journey. In this case study, GB Railfreight’s Tim Hartley, Business Development Director, and Gemma Platt, HR Manager, discuss with Faye Bacon, a Strategy Implementation Manager at RSSB, why they took this approach and the value of senior level sponsorship and accountability .

Visit our Railway Mental Health Charter webpage for more information about the charter, including how you can sign up.