Special event highlights Bevan Brittan’s commitment to ‘important’ Mindful Business Charter

The head of Bevan Brittan’s Wellbeing committee has described the Mindful Business Charter (MBC) as an “important” initiative for addressing mental health in the workplace. The national law firm made a commitment to follow the set of principles set out in the Charter, which are centred on openness and respect for each other, improved communications, respect for working hours and considerate delegation of tasks.

Bevan Brittan signed up to the initiative late last year, joining a wide range of businesses and professional service firms around the world in a collective commitment to address avoidable stresses in working practices.

Now, after attending a special event on World Mental Health Day (10 October) which included a welcome to new members, Partner Louise Robling has outlined how she believes the MBC will promote healthier and more effective ways of working.

She said: “It was a privilege to represent the firm at this recent MBC event. Being a responsible business is a core part of our identity and we recognise the importance of the wellbeing of colleagues as part of that responsibility.

“The principles included in the MBC closely align with our core values as a firm, particularly our commitment to investing in genuine relationships with colleagues, so we’re proud to be involved. This important initiative has put a spotlight on mental health in the workplace and we’re committed to embracing its principles now and in the future.”

The MBC provides organisations and individuals with the framework, permission and challenge to dare to be different and to work together across the business community to rehumanise the workplace. Its focus on creating an open and respectful culture and dialogue seeks to ensure that, whatever the broader context in which we are being required to work, how we work and how we interact with each other should be thoughtful, mindful, and shaped as far as possible to eliminate unnecessary stress so that we can work both more effectively and more healthily.

Richard Martin, CEO of MBC, said: “At its heart MBC is a community of employers coming together to share ideas, learning and challenges, knowing that together we will make so much more of a difference than if we were working alone. Along with our other new members Bevan Brittan have already shown that we will learn from them as much as they will learn from us. The collective commitment from all our members provides the energy and encouragement for our work.”