Sustainability at MHR in the first three months of 2026

Building healthy habits

A new year naturally encourages some reflection. It’s not for nothing that talk of New Year’s resolutions is unavoidable in the first weeks of January. At MHR, we embraced this theme as an opportunity for us to help our colleagues by creating a space for them to come together and develop positive habits.

For those who were eager, we started up an online community, allowing those who joined to inspire each other by sharing their stories and their hints and tips as they pursued their new habits. The community was also great for spurring each other on, whenever anyone felt like they were flagging in their pursuit of healthier habits. 

Over January, February, and March, it was a pleasure to see how many people took part, and how supportive and encouraging they were as people announced their goals or made updates on their progress.

We saw people building habits that ranged from drinking at least two litres of water every day, or reading ten pages of a book before bed, to learning to play a new musical instrument. It was a fantastic initiative to kick off the new year at MHR, and a positive way to spend the winter whilst we waited for the days to lengthen. 

Highlighting the importance of mental health

Speaking of winter positivity, we also ran a number of short initiatives in January and February to highlight the importance of mental health.

For Time to Talk Day, MHR’s Mental Health First Aiders ran a campaign advertising their presence across the business and their ability to provide confidential support to anyone who felt like they were struggling. The Mental Health First Aiders also highlighted the presence of an internal training course offering practical, meaningful steps that people can build into their life for a healthier mindset. 

For Random Acts of Kindness Day, we ran a number of quickfire interviews with people from around MHR, asking them about the people they would like to thank in their lives, the emotion they most associated with kindness, and the importance of making those around you smile. We stitched these clips together, and the result was a genuinely heart-warming video that demonstrated the lift that positive thinking can provide. 

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Finally, in March, we celebrated International Women’s Day. We hosted a company-wide breakfast in our Britannia House canteen, with hundreds of colleagues taking the time to mark the occasion. Our Chairman, Jessica Mills, also gave a short speech highlighting the varied and important contributions of women to MHR. 

Throughout the week preceding International Women’s Day, we also ran a series of internal interviews. Men and women from across different departments and levels of seniority were encouraged to reflect on the contributions of women to their lives, and the actions that are still required for the achievement of full gender equality. Particularly powerful were the stories people told about the women in their careers who had inspired them, pushing them into new roles or to higher levels of leadership.

A positive start to 2026

Taken together, these initiatives began 2026 on exactly the note that we want to sustain. Whether encouraging healthy habits, celebrating women across the business, or promoting mental well-being, each activity is another contribution to the positive impact that we want to make.

As we move into the rest of the year, we’re looking forward to continuing our action and making more of a difference.