Mental Health and Sustainability: The Untapped Pillar of ESG.
Not all diplomats wear suits, some wear purpose – DeeEnvoy
When we talk about sustainability, our minds often go to climate change, carbon footprints, or clean energy. Yet, hidden in plain sight is another crisis that silently erodes our resilience mental health. For too long, mental well-being has been treated as a private concern rather than a collective responsibility. But if the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it is this: mental health is a sustainability issue, and sustainability is a mental health issue.
Globally, untreated mental health challenges account for more than 4% of GDP losses, while depression remains the leading cause of disability (WHO, 2014). That is not just a health statistic it is an economic and social one. The World Health Organization (WHO) further estimates that for every $1 invested in mental health support, businesses gain $4 in productivity. This is no longer about ethics alone; it is about resilience, survival, and strategic sustainable development.
Mental Health in ESG: Beyond Tokenism
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks have become the global yardstick for responsible business and governance. Yet, while “E” and “G” often dominate discussions, the “S” the social pillar remains underexplored.
Mental health belongs here. Organizations that prioritize employee well-being report reduced absenteeism, higher retention, and greater adaptability during crises (OECD, 2014). Communities with strong mental health infrastructure are more resilient in the face of disasters, inequality, and climate shocks. And nations that normalize mental health as part of their development agenda build stronger, more inclusive democracies.
The United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030) already acknowledges the psychological dimension of disaster preparedness and recovery. Similarly, the SDGs embed mental health under Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), but implementation lags behind. In Africa, cultural stigma and chronic underfunding deepen the neglect. To ignore this link is to undermine both ESG commitments and sustainable development.
The Inextricable Link: Sustainability and Mental Health
Sustainability is not just about clean air or renewable energy, it is about people thriving emotionally, mentally, and socially. A workforce plagued by stress cannot innovate. A community burdened by eco-anxiety cannot fully mobilize for climate justice. And a generation of youths, overwhelmed by social and environmental instability, risks disengaging from civic and economic life.
• Environmental resilience is tied to psychological well-being. Access to green spaces reduces anxiety and boosts cognitive function. Eco-anxiety, on the other hand, is now recognized as a real psychological threat.
• Social equity is inseparable from mental health. Stigma, discrimination, and socioeconomic inequality worsen mental illness. Sustainable businesses must therefore invest in mental health infrastructure, counseling centers, awareness campaigns, and inclusive workplace policies.
• Governance defines whether mental health remains an afterthought or a core priority.
Ethical leadership demands that mental health metrics be embedded in ESG reporting, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Why This Matters for Africa
Africa stands at the crossroads of sustainability and mental health. Economic instability, rapid urbanization, and climate vulnerability compound psychological stress. Meanwhile, stigma silences conversations, keeping individuals and communities trapped in cycles of untreated trauma. If ESG in Africa is to be meaningful, it must integrate Afrocentric mental health strategies, context-specific, culturally relevant, and stigma-sensitive. A mentally resilient Africa is a sustainable Africa.
Building the Future: Mental Health as a Strategic Imperative
The future of ESG lies in recognizing that people are not just stakeholders but the heart of sustainability. For Africa and beyond, this means:
• Embedding mental health indicators in ESG reporting.
• Designing workplaces and urban spaces that support psychological well-being.
• Expanding access to care in marginalized communities.
• Promoting a culture of awareness where silence is no longer the default.
As Izutsu et al. (2015) argued in The Lancet Psychiatry, “well-being is both a human right and a driver of development.” Mental health is no longer peripheral; it is central to how we build sustainable futures.
The challenge before us is simple, will we continue to silo mental health as a “private struggle,” or will we embrace it as a public good, a sustainability imperative, and a governance responsibility? Because without mental resilience, there can be no sustainable development.
Africa Always,
Lady Diana Ereyitomi Eyo-Enoette
Honorary Consul & Special Envoy on Sustainability | London Embassy to Africa (Sovereign
Kingdom of Hawaii).
References
• Izutsu, T., Tsutsumi, A., Minas, H., Thornicroft, G., Patel, V., & Ito, A. (2015). Mental health and wellbeing in the Sustainable Development Goals. The Lancet Psychiatry.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00457-5
• OECD. (2014). Making Mental Health Count: The Social and Economic Costs of Neglecting Mental Health Care. Paris: OECD.
• United Nations. (2015). Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. New York: UN.
• World Health Organization. (2014). Preventing Suicide: A Global Imperative. Geneva: WHO.
