Sky Tunley-Stainton on Safe In Our World’s Mental Health Star Accreditation, and why you should check on your company’s mental health status

Video games can be a powerful medium for addressing issues around mental health and, while we’ve certainly seen a rise in the number of games navigating the topic, can the same be said about the companies that make them?  

The UK games industry may be expanding (the number of gaming companies in the UK increased by 24% last year), but rising job insecurity and above-national-average rates of depression and anxiety paint the picture of an industry in crisis. 

Games industry mental health charity, Safe In Our World, is working to address this crisis through its brand-new Mental Health Star Accreditation, an initiative launching on August 19th that’s designed to support games industry companies and their employees. We caught up with Sky Tunley-Stainton, Safe In Our World’s Partnerships and Training Manager, to learn more about this accreditation and its potential for long-term positive impact. 

Hi Sky, could you tell us a little bit more about Safe In Our World’s Mental Health Star Accreditation? 

Sure! At its heart, the Mental Health Star Accreditation is a collaboration between Safe In Our World and games industry companies and their employees. It starts with an audit that includes an evidence-based employer survey as well as a workplace experience survey for employees. We then use the data gathered to assess a company’s workplace mental health provisions, provide a blueprint of best practices, and shout about successes that meet our endorsement criteria. Our goal is to help improve workplaces throughout the games industry and create psychologically safer working environments for employees. 

We know that mental wellbeing is a growing concern within the games industry, but could you provide more information on what inspired you to develop this initiative?

Our mission has always been to create and foster mental health awareness within our industry, and it’s the lack of awareness that has really been the driving force behind the Mental Health Star Accreditation. Did you know that 87% of people working in the games industry report experiencing mental ill health, but around 33% of workers are unaware of any mental health resources or support available to them through their workplaces? The Mental Health Star Accreditation was born out of a desire to provide something that was desperately needed but hasn’t existed up until this point: a standardised, data-driven metric for mental health support and best practices.

How has this accreditation been developed? Have you tested it out? 

We’ve been developing the Mental Health Star Accreditation for over a year alongside industry veteran and HR expert, Emma Smith, of Hestia Talent. We were also supported in initial working groups by individuals across the industry, from companies of all shapes and sizes. This input was invaluable to us in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the different types of challenges that companies face, what practices are already in place, and what expectations are realistic depending on the nature of different games industry organisations. We would particularly like to thank Playground Games and Wushu Studios for their support in reviewing and testing the audit materials ahead of launch. We have designed the accreditation process to be flexible and we are very open to feedback on how we can make the process smoother for companies who choose to seek accreditation. 

What happens after the accreditation? 

After the audit, your company will receive a full report from Safe In Our World. This includes examples of what you’re doing well and recommendations for areas of improvement. There are three tiers to the Mental Health Star accreditation, and accreditation lasts for 3 years. We offer ongoing support to companies who have successfully received accreditation as well as guidance (in the form of actionable insights) for companies who weren’t successful so that they can try again when they are ready. 

The whole process is completely confidential, but accredited companies are more than welcome to promote their results. They will receive an official endorsement from Safe In Our World and we provide a media pack and assets, which can be used on websites and social media. 

Has there been anything like this in the games industry before? 

Not that we’re aware of. We tend to see a lot of generalised mental health training across the games industry, which is vital, but it can be challenging for companies to expand upon this training. There are so many different types of companies within the games industry, which is why it is important that accreditation takes into account the many variables unique to our industry including (but not limited to) company infrastructure, growth over time, project types, and more. There are some fantastic studios and publishers doing a lot of really great things for their employees’ mental health, and there are others who could benefit from a little more support, which is what we’re offering through our Mental Health Star Accreditation. There has never been a more important time to ensure that businesses have the right tools, training, and initiatives in place to create workplaces that acknowledge and nurture positive mental health for everybody. 

Could you tell us a little bit about the kind of company that would benefit from the accreditation? 

We really mean it when we say that this is for everyone. It was super important to us that our Mental Health Star Accreditation be available and scalable for all kinds of companies within the games industry, from the smallest of indie teams to huge AAA organisations. The audit factors in variables such as company size and age, current and prior industry challenges, changes to company structure, changes to key team members, and more – there’s no bad time to start the process of accreditation! 

What would you say to companies who might feel reluctant to put themselves “under the microscope”? 

All audit results are confidential, though you’re welcome to shout about them if you want! Participating in accreditation shows your employees that you’re taking their mental health and wellbeing seriously and that you’re committed to putting best practices in place. It also gives you the opportunity to gain valuable insights that you might not have the time, knowledge, personnel, or procedures in place to gather yourself. Whether you’re in the early stages of developing your company’s mental health policies and procedures or you’ve got a well-established strategy, it’s an amazing achievement to put yourself forward for accreditation at all, and we provide comprehensive guidance on any areas of improvement that we might highlight. Finally, we want to stress that our accreditation is a judgement-free process. We’re here to help you get an accurate picture of your company’s mental health landscape and to support you wherever possible. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your industry peers? 

We believe this is a pivotal step towards changing the future of mental health in the games industry and we would love for as many businesses as possible to take part, however big or small. We know that any formal review of practices, procedures, and employee sentiment can feel intimidating, but there’s no better way to demonstrate your commitment to a safe and healthy workplace and industry.  

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We’d like to say a big thank you to Sky and the Safe In Our World team for sharing information about their latest project and for the wonderful work they do in raising awareness for and combatting stigma about mental health within the games industry. If you’d like any additional information about Safe In Our World’s Mental Health Star Accreditation, you can find out more here.