Tory leader Davidson learns about PwC Edinburgh’s mental health initiatives

Leader of the Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson and Shadow Minister for Public and Mental Health Miles Briggs visited PwC’s Edinburgh office yesterday to learn more about the firm’s commitment to mental health and well-being.

The MSPs met with key PwC staff, including partner Mark Hoskyns-Abrahall and senior tax manager Colin Robertston, who told the politicians about a period in his professional life when he dealt with acute stress.

A discussion was also held around PwC’s mental health initiatives including:

In addition to these initiatives, the Conservative team also learned about PwC partner Philippe Guijarro - one of the first partners in a professional services firm to lift the lid on dealing with mental health issues. They were also briefed on the PwC-managed Girls Education Challenge, which is working to deliver better educational opportunities to a million girls in some of the world’s poorest regions.

Mark Hoskyns-Abrahall, Edinburgh office senior partner, said: “One thing we have strived to do at PwC is to constantly remind and reassure staff that it’s perfectly OK to talk about any mental health issues. Only by talking together and appreciating what others are going through can we remove any stigma that there is around this issue which impacts on upon many, many people.

“We aim to be an inclusive firm, an inclusive family to our staff and we want to be there for them - and let them know that we are there for them if they need or want to talk.”

Lindsay Gardiner, PwC’s regional chairman for Scotland, added: “The mental health charity Mind, estimates that annually, one-in-four people across the UK will experience a mental health issue. That means PwC is right to to be involved, not just in terms of fundraising but also raising awareness and challenging any kind of stigma that still lingers around this topic.

“We should be as comfortable talking about mental illness as we are talking about someone having a cold or a broken leg. People are affected mentally or physically by what goes on in their lives and we all need to remember that – not just to look after ourselves but also to be there for our friends, family and colleagues.”

Ruth Davidson MSP said: “PwC has been doing some tremendous work on mental health initiatives within the workplace.

“It was a real pleasure for me to visit their Edinburgh offices to talk with staff and leaders about the positive difference this has made, and about some of their own experiences.

“In high-pressure, competitive industries people can often feel unable to speak up about issues of mental ill-health for fear of damaging their career prospects.

“PWC is leading the way in demonstrating that proper commitment to the health and well-being of staff encourages performance, engenders loyalty and makes a better, more productive workplace.”