MEDIA RELEASE

Top Glove Corporation Bhd (Company No. 199801018294 [474423-X])

For Immediate Release

Top Glove Launches Inaugural Zero Harm on Mental Health Programme to Promote Mental Wellbeing of Workforce

Shah Alam, Tuesday, 12 October 2021 In an effort to raise mental health awareness in the corporate sector, promote mental wellness and break the stigma about mental health in the workplace, Top Glove launched its inaugural Zero Harm on Mental Health programme on Sunday, 10 October 2021, in conjunction with World Mental Health Day.

Initiated by the Top Glove Global Doctors (TGGD) Mental Health Clinical and Crisis Support Team, this programme, together with the existing Zero Harm and Safety Health Emergency Preparedness Programme introduced in 2019, provides a comprehensive safety and wellness action plan for Top Glove employees.

‘Zero Harm’ is a conceptual approach to heighten the occupational safety of a workplace, whereby a workplace operates without exposing an individual to injury, through the implementation of safe work environment systems. The Zero Harm culture has been introduced at Top Glove as an additional initiative, over and above complying with safety and health requirements set out by the Department of Health and Safety (DOSH).

At the launch of the programme at Top Glove Tower in Setia Alam, Shah Alam, Top Glove Founder and Executive Chairman, Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai, said: “The objectives of the Zero Harm on Mental Health program are to promote mental health awareness and break the stigma on mental health, so we can create a supportive, respectful and inclusive environment at the workplace. We, as leaders especially, must be role models in promoting corporate mental wellness.”

The Zero Harm on Mental Health programme aims to provide preventive measures through psychoeducation and training, to create awareness amongst employees and enable them to prepare themselves, identify who might be at risk, and know who they can reach out to for help. As part of the programme, there will be posters and information cards in seven (7) different languages in factories, offices and hostels on how staff and workers can reach out for help, as well as tips on how they can manage their mental wellbeing. The TGGD Mental Health Clinical and Crisis Support Team also looks forward to rolling out this information card via the Workers Learning App, which all workers have access to. On top of that, the Zero Harm on Mental Health programme also aims to manage crisis and employees’ mental health symptoms through crisis intervention and counselling, as well as psychotherapy. The TGGD Mental Health Clinical and Crisis Team consists of a multidisciplinary team of medical as well as mental health professionals, enabling the mental wellbeing of the employees to be managed in a systemic and holistic way.

TGGD Medical & Managing Director, Dr Navindra Nageswaran, said: “The pandemic has affected people’s mental wellbeing in an unprecedented manner. TGGD established a Mental Health Clinical and Crisis Support Team in July 2020, to manage the mental health of Top Glove employees. Aside from offering mental health services such as counselling and psychotherapy sessions, we also conduct regular mental wellness webinar and trainings for employees. And all employees can use their medical allowance to access these services, at a heavily subsidised rate, which is not yet common practice among organisations.”

Zero Harm on Mental Health Programme Lead and TGGD Mental Health Counsellor, Ms. Cheryl Chin Yi Fen, said: “The stigma on mental health has always been a barrier for employees to reach out for mental health support. It is important for us all to normalise seeking mental health support, so employees who struggle with their mental health do not feel ashamed or threatened to ask for help. I hope by initiating and implementing the Zero Harm on Mental Health program at the workplace, we can together create a safer working environment for the employees to address their mental health concerns and promote their mental wellbeing.”

Prior to the launch of the programme, 13 medical personnel including medical doctors, medical assistants as well as nurses from TGGD had successfully completed their training on Psychological First Aid. These TGGD personnel, equipped with fundamental skills to respond to people who are psychologically distressed, will be able to support the facility’s Mental Health Clinical and Crisis Support Team to screen and assess the mental health and safety risks of the affected employees. Future Psychological First Aid training will involve local and foreign employees of the Company.

Green ribbon pin badges, symbolising support for mental health awareness, were also given out to the 13 medical personnel as well as Top Glove senior management and Board members, who attended the launch.

Malaysian Mental Health Association President, Professor Dato’ Dr Andrew Mohanraj, who was present at the launch, lauded the programme, saying that the Company was setting a benchmark for other companies in terms of promoting mental health.

“The relationship between mental health of employees and productivity is well established. The move by Top Glove to introduce mental health promotion and preventive measures among its staff is a pioneering effort towards workplace mental health in the corporate sector in our country,” said Professor Dato’ Dr Andrew.

Executive Chairman of Global Doctors Group, Dato’ Dr Sharifah Fauziah Alhabshi, said: “Mental health is not just about mental illness but also mental wellness. Mental wellbeing at the workplace can only be better achieved in a psychologically safe working environment, enabling employees to perform at their best. The launch of Zero Harm on Mental Health is timely to promote mental wellness among the employees and is very much needed especially when our nation is transitioning into a post COVID recovery phase.”

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