The City Mental Health Alliance (CMHA) is leading a powerful international movement for change in workplace mental health. October 2021 saw our reach extending further with the launch of the CMHA India Chapter, joining national chapters in the UK, Hong Kong and Australia.

Mellener Anne Coelho is India Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Mental Wellbeing at financial services company Northern Trust, one of the chapter’s founding member companies. We spoke to her about the launch and the support for mental health at work in India.

How did it feel to launch the chapter?

“I’m a passionate advocate for mental health. As someone who lives with anxiety, it’s a topic that’s very close to my heart. Launching the CMHA Chapter in India was a big milestone and I’m proud to be associated with the CMHA.

“Now more than ever, it’s critical for businesses around the world to support their employees with physical, emotional and financial wellbeing. It’s the right thing to do. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us in one way or the other. The fact that we’ve got seven founding member companies is really fantastic, and really a sign of businesses wanting to gather to tackle the mental health crisis, both at the workplace and in the communities in which we live.”

What do you see as the first priorities for the CMHA India Chapter?

“We’re still new, so we’re working on our strategic priorities, but there are a number of key areas. One is – following the pandemic – how can we support our employees as they navigate hybrid working and the anxiety of returning to the office? It’s about equipping them with the resources to move into the future of work.

“We also need to look at what are the resources that CMHA uses globally that we can adapt in India. And develop a framework to help companies when they design and implement a mental health strategy.”

What do you see as the value of the CMHA community?

“We’ve seen heightened levels of anxiety, depression and different types of mental illness due to the pandemic. There has never been a more important time for a set of companies to come together to tackle it, and an alliance like this is really very powerful. We can learn from one another, we can leverage good work that’s been done in other countries. Together, we can achieve greater.”