Founding partnership is agreed

Highways service delivery provider Multevo has announced it is one of the first founding partners of Highways Mind Health Association (HMHA).

HMHA is an industry-led, non-profit community interest company that’s on a mission to unite the sector in a shared commitment to make positive mental health and psychological safety the norm.

With just under two thirds of the UK highways workforce being male, and three in four suicides in England being men, the need to create a culture where people feel able to speak openly about their mental health and access the right support is particularly important across the industry.

Over the years, Multevo have fast become a prominent force in the Highways sector, known for being ahead of the curve through continuously bringing innovative products, processes and service solutions to market.

Since 2020, their workforce has grown by over 1300% percent, with Multevo now having over 500 people working nationwide.

As a growing organisation with depots across Shropshire, Lancashire and Staffordshire, Multevo has seen first-hand the increasing pressures facing the highways sector and the importance of supporting people in a way that is practical, consistent and embedded in everyday working practices.

Multevo had already taken steps to build a culture that prioritises wellbeing, including appointing mental health first aiders, offering free counselling support for staff and developing an in-house wellbeing app.

The firm recognises that more needs to be done as a collective to not only supports those already in the sector but also encourage more young people to join. Partnering with HMHA is the next step to help achieve this.

Aimee Dewse, head of Marketing at Multevo, said: "We’ve always believed that looking after our people goes beyond providing good benefits and support services. It’s about creating an environment where people feel valued, listened to and comfortable talking about how they’re doing.

"We’ve made positive steps at Multevo and HMHA gives us the opportunity to learn from others across the sector and contribute our own experiences as we continue to develop.”

Founder of HMHA Sam Munslow said: "The highways sector is asking more of its people than ever, and we can’t keep treating pressure, stress and burnout as simply part of the job.

"Mental health is fundamentally a people, leadership and resilience issue, and it has a direct impact on how well our organisations perform. Multevo’s commitment as a founding partner shows what can happen when businesses choose to put their people at the heart of the future of highways.”

HMHA creates the opportunity for a more collective, bespoke approach - bringing the sector together to share learning, raise standards and take a more joined-up view of mental health in an industry that faces its own unique pressures.

Being a founding member allows Multevo to help shape that from the outset and contribute to something they believe will make a real and lasting difference.

Pictured: Aimee Dewse (head of Marketing at Multevo) with Sam Munslow (founder of HMHA)

Photo credit: ©vickiheadphotography