Safe In Our World launches first games industry mental health accreditation

• Safe In Our World has launched the Mental Health Star Accreditation.
• Games companies with excellent wellbeing practices will be awarded with a certificate, and all participants will receive reports on successes and areas to improve.

UK charity Safe In Our World has launched the games industry’s first mental health accreditation for the workplace, as part of an ongoing mission to increase awareness in workplace wellbeing.

This latest initiative, the Mental Health Star Accreditation, will award companies with a certificate for displaying exemplary mental health and wellbeing practices.

The process of receiving such accreditation begins with a company-wide audit of a business’ mental health policies, practices, culture and sentiment. Safe In Our World will then issue a report on what a company has been doing well and where they can improve, and the charity will check in yearly with those it awards accreditation to.

The three tiers of endorsement are Dedicated, Accomplished and Outstanding.

Workplace wellbeing

Safe In Our World first launched as a registered charity in 2019 on World Mental Health Day. The charity hopes that games companies accredited through its new tool will display their awarded status on websites and social media to signify their commitment to mental health, and that this will in turn encourage talent at such studios.

Notably, those who fail to be accredited will be able to resubmit an application whenever they choose, ideally learning from Safe In Our World’s report on that failed attempt to do better next time.

The accreditation is specific to the games industry.

"We've been long overdue accreditation specific to the unique trials and challenges of the games industry," said Safe In Our World trustee and head of business development at LootLocker Erla Arnadottir.

"You can really tell that Safe In Our World has developed this accreditation with all different kinds of companies and their structures and needs in mind."