Mental wellbeing is not something we can take for granted. At Umicore, safety always comes first, and that goes beyond physical safety alone. Just like creating secure working conditions, supporting mental wellbeing requires attention, intention, and space for open conversation. With this belief at its core, Umicore marked an important milestone with the launch of its first Global Safety Commitment Day, a new annual moment to reflect, connect, and care. Introduced by the Executive Leadership Team, this first edition focused on a theme that affects every colleague every day: mental wellbeing at work.
A standstill moment for reflection
For several weeks, it was impossible not to notice the energy around Mental Wellbeing Day. Across Umicore, colleagues shared pictures, reflections, and testimonies about their sessions. The overall feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and genuinely heart‑warming to see.
Our Global Safety Commitment Day was designed as a standstill moment for everyone at Umicore: a pause from daily operations to reflect on how we feel at work, how we interact with each other, and how mental wellbeing shapes both performance and safety. Across sites and offices, teams joined facilitated sessions that encouraged open discussion, story sharing, and practical reflection. A pause that Umicore plans to do every year focusing on a different safety topic.
There was strong participation and real engagement. People spoke openly, without blame, and shared ideas in a very transparent way. It was clear that this was a topic people truly cared about.
Mental wellbeing is often about the small things
One of the strongest takeaways was that mental wellbeing at work is not necessarily about big projects or complex initiatives. Very often, it is about the small, everyday things: helping a colleague, having a real check‑in, communicating well, involving people, or simply taking the time to talk about how we are doing.
Many sessions also helped teams better recognize early signs when someone might not be feeling well. That awareness is an important step in creating a more attentive and caring work environment.
At the same time, the discussions clearly showed that wellbeing is a shared responsibility. Mental wellbeing is not something the company can deliver on its own. As leadership also emphasized, wellbeing is a verb: it is something we all need to nurture every single day. For many colleagues, this resulted in concrete personal commitments, from healthier habits to making more space for meaningful conversations.
Another key insight from the sessions was the connection between mental wellbeing and workplace safety. When people feel well, they are more attentive, more aware of risks, and better able to respond to unsafe situations. Mental wellbeing directly supports a safer workplace. This reinforces Umicore’s broader belief that mental wellbeing, like safety, is a prerequisite for sustainable performance and long‑term success.
Keeping the conversation going
One of the most important outcomes of the day is cultural: helping to lift the taboo around mental wellbeing. It is okay to talk about how you feel, and no one is alone. The day made that message more visible and tangible across the organization.
The ambition does not stop with one event. Sites are encouraged to build on the momentum and embed mental wellbeing more deeply into their ongoing safety culture. Sometimes that starts with a very small change: asking each other less often “How are you doing?” and more often “How are you feeling today?” can open the door to a more honest conversation.
Feedback and ideas from colleagues are already shaping what the themes and topics of future editions of the Global Safety Commitment Day could be, reinforcing it as a lasting tradition rather than a one‑off moment. Because when we feel safe, mentally and physically, we communicate better, support each other, and thrive together.
