Birkbeck academic helps lead landmark global mental health policy commitment
Created and signed at the International Labour Organization event in Geneva, the new commitment will shape worker mental health care and initiatives on a global scale.
Dr Kevin Teoh, Reader in Work and Organizational Psychology in Birkbeck Business School, played a pivotal role in a landmark two-day policy event at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva. The event culminated in the signing of the Geneva Partnership Commitment on worker mental health.
As Executive Officer of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology (EAOHP), Dr Teoh was central to organising the high-profile event. He co-chaired the opening roundtable on Day 1 – a dynamic session that brought together senior figures including Martha Helena Lopez, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources, and senior representatives from the ILO, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, World Intellectual Property Organization, and the World Bank. He also co-chaired the opening panel on Day 2, which featured a keynote address from Yolanda Díaz, Second Deputy Prime Minister of Spain, who emphasised that good working conditions are a human right.
The event’s agenda drew heavily on Dr Teoh's extensive expertise in psychosocial risk management and worker health. The sessions reflected his work on practical psychosocial risk management interventions to support UN agencies, as well as his broader research on policy development at organisational and international levels. The discussions highlighted the urgent need for a coordinated, evidence-based approach to what is now considered the number one priority in the future of work.
The momentum and consensus built over the two days led directly to the event's primary outcome: the establishment of a new global network through the Geneva Partnership Commitment. The Commitment, signed by the EAOHP and other international organisations, provides a clear path forward to address global disparities in the prevention of psychosocial risks and to strengthen capacity for all stakeholders.
Dr Kevin Teoh commented:
“Being part of this event at the ILO has been a remarkable experience. It brought together key global stakeholders to move from discussion to action. The Geneva Partnership Commitment is a testament to the power of collaboration and provides a crucial framework for translating evidence-based research, which is the kind we champion at Birkbeck, into policies that genuinely protect worker mental health. I am incredibly proud of what the EAOHP and our partners have achieved.”
Dr Teoh’s leadership in this international forum demonstrates Birkbeck’s significant real-world impact and its position at the forefront of research and policy on worker health and wellbeing.