The C.M. Hincks Award winner has been selected: Congratulations to ATB Financial!

CMHA is pleased to announce that the winner of our 2014 C.M. Hincks Award is ATB Financial, Alberta’s largest financial institution.

The C.M. Hincks Award honours the spirit and social commitment of the founder of CMHA, Clarence Meredith Hincks. This top award is provided annually to an outstanding organization or individual that has advanced mental health through their work/volunteer activities in the areas of reducing stigma and discrimination, addressing social justice and the social determinants of health, and maintaining or improving mental health for all. This year, CMHA decided to nominate a workplace that exemplifies this award. In total 9 nominations were submitted from CMHA Divisions and Branches that offer workplace mental health programs and services.

ATB Financial was selected as this year’s recipient because they excel in the area of workplace mental health initiatives, including in the following ways :

• Mental health workplace awareness is a priority – increased their focus on mental health in the workplace in under a year resulting in increased dialogue among staff, workplace mental health training for managers, and the establishment of an action group that is developing skills and capacity to educate other employees more regularly.
•  A Mental Health Action Group is in place– comprised of employees that have lived experience with mental illness or are deeply invested in the cause to champion and educate ATB Financial employees about mental health via in-house awareness initiatives and through engagement of external stakeholders.
• Improving mental health for all is a focus – committed and connected to Alberta’s communities for more than 70 years, ATB employees volunteer thousands of hours to community initiatives, and ATB contributes millions of dollars through charitable donations, fundraising, and sponsorships every year. Their dedication to directly and indirectly advancing mental health through both their work and their volunteer activities has no doubt reduced stigma and discrimination, addressed social justice and the social determinants of health.

In conjunction with our new partner, The Employee Assistance Trade Association (EASNA), an organization that advances the competitive excellence of its members by fostering best practices, research, education, and advocacy in workplace behavioral health and wellness, CMHA presenting the C.M. Hincks Award to ATB Financial at EASNA’s annual conference on April 23, 2014 in Ottawa.

For more information please contact Sarika Gundu, National Director, Workplace Mental Health Program