Animates Vetcare first in New Zealand to earn top mental health workplace accreditation

Animates Vetcare NZ has become the first organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand to receive the Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa Workplace Recognition Programme certificate, and the first to achieve gold level, the programme’s highest tier.

Animates Vetcare NZ, one of New Zealand’s largest pet care and veterinary providers, has been awarded gold-level status under the new Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa Workplace Recognition Programme, making it the first organisation in the country to achieve this accreditation.

The Workplace Recognition Programme (WRP) recognises organisations that have embedded Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and wellbeing practices into their workplace.

Like the Rainbow Tick, which certifies LGBTTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace, the WRP is a mark of excellence for mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, assessed and awarded across three tiers: bronze, silver and gold. Gold is reserved for organisations where mental health and wellbeing are business-led priorities, actively supported and role-modelled by senior leaders across the organisation.

The announcement was made at Animates’ Ellerslie office, where MHFA Aotearoa programme manager Sarah Christensen and project lead Alf Daniels presented the gold certificate to the Animates team.

Christensen said the award reflected a genuine and sustained commitment to mental health and wellbeing from Animates, and was a sign of leadership, not only for the retail and veterinary sector, but for all New Zealand businesses.

“Congratulations to Animates, who are not only the first in New Zealand to achieve this recognition, but they have gone straight to gold! This is a sign of how deeply they care about their people, their customers, and their community, and we thank them for being true advocates for mental health and wellbeing in New Zealand workplaces.”

The recognition carries particular weight in the veterinary sector, where international research shows elevated rates of burnout, depression and psychological distress. Some studies have found suicide rates among veterinary professionals up to four times higher than that of the general population.

Animates first engaged with MHFA Aotearoa in May 2022. Learning and development specialist Ellis Norton and learning and development manager Hannah Fossum trained as accredited MHFA Aotearoa instructors, and over the past few years have delivered 20 two-day workshops and trained more than 100 staff across the organisation.

MHFA training gives people the knowledge, skills and confidence to recognise when a colleague, client or whānau member may be experiencing a mental health challenge, and to respond safely and supportively. Using the evidence-based five-step ALGEE action plan, people are equipped to start the conversation, listen without judgement, and connect someone to professional help if needed. Workshops have been shown to increase mental health literacy, reduce stigma and encourage earlier help-seeking.

“Mental Health First Aid training is a key part of our wellbeing strategy and is shaping how our leaders show up for their teams,” said Neil Cowie, chief executive of Animates Vetcare NZ. “Our work is purpose-driven, people-facing and at times can be emotionally demanding. MHFA gives our leaders confidence to recognise when someone may need support, and to understand the role they play in creating environments where people feel safe to speak up and be themselves.”

For Jean Gulbransen, general manager of clinics, the impact has been most visible in everyday moments. “We are now more attuned to subtle shifts in behaviour, mood or engagement that might previously have gone unnoticed. MHFA has given us practical tools to have conversations that may have been avoided in the past, and it has helped break down the stigma around asking for help.”

To achieve gold-level status, organisations are assessed against criteria including MHFA training delivery and the establishment of an internal wellbeing framework.

Cowie said the programme’s value went well beyond the certificate, and encouraged other New Zealand businesses to embed mental health programmes in their workplaces.

“The Workplace Recognition Programme works best when it is treated not as an award, but as an ongoing commitment. It turns positive intentions into consistent, visible and measurable actions, and builds the confidence in people to look after themselves and each other.”

New Zealand organisations wanting to learn more can contact MHFA Aotearoa at mhfa@tepou.co.nz or visit mentalhealthfirstaid.nz