Squire Patton Boggs has signed the Mindful Business Charter as part of a commitment to better working practices for mental health and wellbeing. The firm joined 17 other organisations at a signing event in London yesterday (10 October 2019), which coincided with World Mental Health Day.
The charter brings in-house legal teams and their legal services providers together to reach a shared agenda for mental health wellbeing. Each signatory has pledged a commitment to abide by a set of principles centred on improved communication, respect for rest periods and considerate delegation of tasks.
European managing partner Jane Haxby said: “Mental ill health does not discriminate, it can affect anyone. It is important that we encourage our colleagues to talk more openly and cultivate a working environment that is understanding and supportive. In that way, we can ensure that everyone has the opportunity to achieve their full potential, making us stronger as a business and better able to serve our clients.
“By signing the charter, we are joining with other businesses in a collective commitment to promote working practices to remove avoidable stress that can affect employees' mental health and wellbeing, while also improving effective working and productivity. The charter principles fit within our existing wellbeing programme and the mental health initiatives we run as a firm.”
The Mindful Business Charter aims to promote a culture of openness about mental wellbeing, ensure responsible business is included as an area of assessment during significant procurement processes and drive forward the actions and necessary change in support of the principles of the charter.
The Charter has the support of mental health charity Mind, the Law Society, Law Care and the Solicitors Regulatory Authority.