North East-based consultancy Venture Zero is seeing an increase in demand for support from businesses wanting to proactively engage employees in conversations around climate change and its impact on mental wellbeing.
In the last 6 months, Founders, Clare Blunt and Claire Thew, have worked with organisations including Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and ConservationSociety, Age UK North Tyneside, and Quorum Business Park to deliver training that’s designed to positively affect employee wellbeing and the environment at the same time. This work is supported by emerging research that recognises how these two areas can no longer be viewed in isolation.
A 2022 ONS Survey found that 75% of adults are worried about climate change, causing increased levels of anxiety at both work and home. Mental Health Concern recently also reported that the direct and indirect effects of climate change are negatively impacting people’s mental wellbeing. As a result, the term ‘eco-anxiety’ is becoming more commonplace, as it describes the feelings of anxiety over the environmental and ecological crisis.
It was a great session highlighting an important link between mental health and climate change, with a really positive spin.
Speaking about the training, Laura McGrath, Director of Sustainability and Community at Quorum Business Park, said: “It was a great session highlighting an important link between mental health and climate change, with a really positive spin.”
Venture Zero’s ‘Climate Connections’ workshop help employees find ways to start making changes at work and home that reduce their environmental impact, whilst boosting mental wellbeing. The practical 3-hour sessions build a culture committed to collectively taking action. This is key to ensuring the UK can meet its ambitious net zero targets by 2050. In a competitive recruitment environment, organisations that can demonstrate how they are investing in its people and the planet are also more likely to attract and retain the best talent.
Claire Thew, Environmental Sustainability Lead at Venture Zero, said: “Many organisations have made huge steps in recent years in prioritising staff wellbeing or committing to climate-related targets, but very few are yet recognising the link between the two. Our ability to combat both the current climate emergency and a growing mental health crisis lies in understanding that our mental and physical health is dependent on our connection to our environment.”
Clare Blunt, Mental Health Lead at Venture Zero, added: “When I deliver mental health training, I hear more and more people talk about their worry in relation to the climate emergency, and it’s causing genuine anxiety. It’s very intersectional and impacts all sectors of society. We want to show people how they can use that anxiety and turn it in to positive action, improving both the planet and their mental health.”
The duo developed the workshops by drawing on their expertise in the fields of mental health and environmental sustainability. Ms Blunt has more than 25 years’ experience in the mental health sector. She is also an approved Mental Health First AidInstructor, delivering training across multinational organisations, schools, and charities. After working in the environmental sector for more than 20 years, Ms Thew is now a Carbon Literacy Trainer and sustainability consultant engaging with businesses to support their staff to take small, affordable, everyday steps to reduce their environmental impact.
