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Support Each Other: Our Mantra for Mental Health Awareness Month

In January of 2020—before the world shut down—we refreshed our company core values, distilling our working philosophy into key messages that captured Index Exchange’s essence. Among them was, “Support each other. It matters.” This mantra would prove to be invaluable and imperative in the months ahead as we forged through a global pandemic, facing unforeseen challenges across our industry, our communities, and at home. 

The immense pressures of the pandemic and flagrant acts of racial injustice have highlighted the need to create a culture of candor, understanding, and belonging—one that prioritizes mental health, diversity, and inclusion. In order to feel supported at work, our employees and partners need to feel psychologically safe. At Index, we’re dedicated to supporting our people, peers, and families through adversity, and through every endeavor.

“Mental health looks different for everyone, and working for a company that understands this has always been a priority of mine. At Index, you know that fundamental support and safety net exists if and when you’re struggling—I’ve fallen back on it myself. But even beyond the company’s understanding in times of strife, it was lovely to see our teams and partners spotlight the importance of mental health awareness this May. It’s yet another reminder that Index really does believe in the words: ‘Support each other. It matters.'”

Genevieve Wheeler
Senior content marketing manager, Index Exchange

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’re highlighting a few specific, tangible initiatives in our efforts to support each other. We partnered with philanthropic platforms, industry heavyweights, and trade bodies, like Givsly, Omnicom Media Group, and IAB Canada, to champion wellness and equity across our space through fireside chats, mental health music sessions, and social media campaigns.

We joined together with OMG to spread the message, “you are not alone,” via a partnership with Givsly. Throughout the month, we’ll be sharing resources and hosting discussions around the stigma of mental health in the workplace, and raising donations for mental health-focused nonprofits. 

We hosted Sarah Restall of InsideOut LeaderBoard to learn how to best manage mental wellness and engage in self-care. We compiled a Mental Health Awareness Reading List, with important titles like “The Five Thieves of Happiness” by John Izzo, “Girl, Interrupted” by Susanna Kaysen, and “Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy” by David D. Burns. Further, we’re delighted to announce that Megha Wadhwani, legal counsel at Index Exchange, was instrumental in helping develop IAB Canada’s D&I Charter, firming up our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the ad tech industry:

“Diversifying a company’s audience and workforce leads to significant gains across the spectrum, bringing in fresh perspectives and opening doors. Personally, I purposely seek opportunities where I know my voice will be heard. Not having to continuously fight for a seat at the table allows me to focus on my job, as opposed to battling unnecessary challenges that can create a negative impact on mental health. I appreciate that Index Exchange continuously provides me with such opportunities.”

Megha Wadhwani
Legal counsel, Index Exchange

Interested in joining a team that believes supporting each other really matters? View our open roles:

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Index Editor

This post was published by the Index Exchange editorial team.

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