As the coronavirus crisis continues and Mental Health Awareness Week approaches, Aldi has joined forces with charity Mental Health UK to help support its 33,000 staff across the UK who have worked through the pandemic.

The two-year partnership will help staff and their families look after their wellbeing by changing their perception of and breaking down stigma around mental health, and giving them the confidence to have open conversations about mental wellness.

“It has never been more important to protect our mental health and support others as we navigate these uncertain times,” Aldi HR director Sophie Smith said.

“Mental health is important for everyone, but with one in four of us experiencing a mental health problem, we know that many of our colleagues are likely to be impacted in some way.”

Experts from Mental Health UK will also be available to offer advice and information on topics related to mental health.

The partnership will complement Aldi’s existing Wellness Programme, which includes access to counselling, wellness coaching, financial wellbeing support and more.

“It’s easy to forget that many retail staff are on their own version of the front-line and without them right now performing their own heroics many of us would be facing a far more difficult time in what are already unprecedented circumstances,” Mental Health UK chief executive Brian Dow said.

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