SMBC Bank International is focused on building a business which protects and supports the mental wellbeing of employees. Part of their approach includes creat ing a confident, visible network of Mental Health Champion s who would be able to play a role in achieving this .   

SMBC Bank International partnered with MindForward Alliance to roll out the Workplace Mental Health Champions course . Th is course had been designed to have a strong emphasis on practical skills development, tailored to the workplace setting and is delivered by experienced trainings with deep experience of corporate settings.   

E mployees from different offices and regions participated in the programme to become new Champions . The training , which was delivered in two 4-hour sessions to make it more accessible for employees to attend , equipped them with a wide range of skills, including how to :  

• Spot early signs of mental health issues in colleagues  

• Build confidence to engage in supportive conversations  

• Understand their role boundaries and how to protect their own wellbeing  

• Practice listening and response techniques through case study-based exercises  

• Champion a culture of openness and challenge stigma across teams  

This successful rollout has helped SMBC embed mental health awareness deeper into its culture, with Champions playing an active role in signposting to support, supporting colleagues and help to create a psychologically safe culture where stigma is challenged.    

Feedback from the Champions who attended the training was excellent, and a survey of them showed :  

• 100% of respondents said that the course increased their confidence to have a conversation with a colleague about their mental health  
• 100% of respondents said that the course increased their confidence to look after their own mental health and wellbeing  
• 100% of respondents said that the course helped to provide clarity on what the boundaries and focus of their role should be
• 86% of respondents said that the course increased their knowledge of the resources and places that are available to provide support for themselves and others 

The Net Promoter Score was 9.5 , which means when asked how likely they were to recommend the course to others , attendees gave it an average score of 9.5 out of 10 .  

Liberty Duncan, EMEA AVP Change and Projects Partner, shared:  

“Building a confident and skilled network of Mental Health Champions is a critical part of our workplace mental health strategy. In planning and delivering the training, MindForward Alliance took the time to really understand our business and culture. The content was top quality, run seamlessly across all training sessions. The interactive, case study-led learning drove excellent engagement and really helped to build practical skills in mental wellbeing support.”