‘Time to Change’ Covéa Insurance signs pledge to end the stigma of mental health in the workplace

Covéa Insurance has committed to changing attitudes to mental health within the workplace.  This week, the company joined other leading employers by signing an employer pledge with Time to Change, a social movement run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness. Its aim is to support people in opening up to mental health problems to change the way we all think and act about mental health in the workplace.

Simon Cooter, Commercial and HNW Director at Covéa Insurance formally signed the Time to Change Pledge this week in Manchester; the timing coincides with the BIBA conference where mental health is one of the many topics for discussion over the 2 day event. 

Speaking about the commitment, he said:

“It’s encouraging to see mental health on the agenda at BIBA this year which in itself gives recognition and raises awareness of the scale of this issue; one in four of us will experience a mental health problem and many will have faced negative treatment in the workplace as a result.  This has to change.

We’re signing the Time to Change pledge to raise awareness of the issue and because we’re seeking to create a culture within Covéa Insurance where people feel they can be open and honest about where they are in life and receive the support they need.  As employers, we need to give mental health the same prominence as physical health and make it ‘normal’ to talk about so that we can break the silence and end the stigma of mental health.”

In addition to signing the Time to Change Pledge, Covéa Insurance has created a workstream specifically designed to address mental health as part of a broader D&I initiative. Called ‘Covéa Minds’, the focus of this group will be to ensure that action plans are followed through at every level of the organisation, cementing awareness and driving  understanding, education and support for mental health issues across the business. 

Jo Loughran, Interim Director for Time to Change said:

“Too many people with mental health problems are made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless, but with the right support, those of us with mental health issues can recover and have equal opportunities in all areas of life. Everyone’s attitude makes a difference and it’s fantastic to see organisations like Covéa Insurance taking the lead.”

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About Covéa Insurance

Covéa Insurance Plc is the UK underwriting business of leading French mutual insurance group Covéa (which includes the global reinsurer PartnerRe since July 2022). 

Covéa Insurance looks after the insurance needs of UK customers, across a range of product lines; delivering financial reassurance through its Standard & Poor’s ‘AA- stable’ rating, as a guaranteed subsidiary of Covéa.  

Covéa Insurance has a strong people and service ethos and holds ServiceMark accreditation with Distinction for its Personal Lines operation and its Commercial & HNW Claims teams, as well as Chartered Insurer status for its Commercial business. Covéa Insurance is signatory to the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter and the insurance Inclusivity Pledge and has been named one of the top 75 employers in West Yorkshire & the Humber. In 2022 Covéa Insurance was named Insurer of the Year at the British Claims Awards and Personal Lines Insurer of the Year at the Insurance Times Awards.