On January 28^th, we marked #BellLetsTalk Day, an initiative created by Bell Canada in 2010 to raise awareness and combat the stigma surrounding mental illness in Canada. With the challenges many have faced this year as a result of COVID-19, now more than ever it is important to focus on mental health.

To bring more awareness to this issue, in alignment with Bell Let’s Talk, this year, the Toronto office launched a Five-Day Mental Health Learning Challenge that encouraged employees to reflect through thoughtful discussion while learning about mental health.

The challenge asked employees to watch a short video each day through Kinross University that focused on mental health stigmas, managing mental health, and balancing mental health during isolation and stressful times. After watching the videos, employees were encouraged to write a short reflection on their biggest takeaways or inspiration. In addition, employees were encouraged to join a webinar on the foundational elements of a mental health plan on February 28^th to mark Bell Let’s Talk Day. Click here to access the recorded session and playbook tools here.

“There is no denying that 2020 was a challenging year for us all with the changes made to our daily lives,” said Ashley Eaton, Senior Manager, Corporate Human Resources. “This challenge was an opportunity for employees to connect with themselves and their mental health, while finding ways to manage their own challenges and supporting colleagues who may be struggling.”

At Kinross, one of our four core values is Putting People First. We remain focused on supporting employee mental health and raising awareness throughout our organization to ensure employees have access to the necessary tools and resources to sustain their well-being. Learn more about how we are supporting employee mental health by visiting page 37 of our 2019 Sustainability Report here.