Mabey Hire puts Mates in Mind logo on temporary works equipment and sites

Mabey Hire has added the Mates in Mind logo to its temporary works equipment and sites, saying it wants to make mental health help and support more visible to the people using its kit.

The Dewsbury-headquartered hirer said the charity's branding now appears across its groundworks kit, equipment and sites. The aim, the company said, is to challenge the stigma around mental health and encourage conversations.

Heath McHugh, Head of SHEQ at Mabey Hire, said: "By partnering with Mates in Mind and displaying their logo across our sites and equipment, we hope to increase the visibility of mental health support and remind everyone that a conversation can make a real difference."

McHugh said the company is also trying to build a culture in which colleagues feel able to talk about their wellbeing, "such as through our network of Mental Health First Aiders across the business".

The figures

Mabey Hire cited figures that 91% of construction workers reportedly feel overwhelmed by their mental health struggles and that 26% admit to having had suicidal thoughts. Both figures appear on Mates in Mind's own statistics page.

The same page, citing the Office for National Statistics, says that in 2020 construction workers were at some of the highest risk of suicide in the country, at 3.7 times the national average.

The charity

Mates in Mind was established in 2017 by the Health in Construction Leadership Group. It works across industries with a focus on construction and related sectors including transport, logistics, manufacturing, energy, farming and agriculture, according to its website.

The charity offers employers three routes to involvement: a Membership Programme, a Champions Programme and Charity Partnership. The Champions Programme is designed for medium and large organisations to support smaller firms and sole traders in their supply chains. The charity also refers to an initial target of reaching 75% of the construction industry.

Mabey Hire describes the charity's work as raising awareness of mental ill-health, improving understanding, addressing stigma and providing programmes and interventions under the message 'Be a Mate, Be the Change'.

The company

Mabey Hire traces its origins to the early 1920s, when Guy Mabey started a building supplies business during a housing boom in South East England.

PERI SE, of Weissenhorn in Germany, took over Mabey Hire Ltd with effect from 21 May 2024. At the time of the acquisition the hirer had around 400 employees at 16 UK locations, according to the announcement; its about page now describes a 420-strong team within a PERI workforce of 9,200 worldwide. The business continues to operate under its existing management, brand and name.

Mabey Hire's ESG strategy, launched in 2023, sets a target of reaching net zero by 2035.