September 2025 | France | Occupational Accidents and Diseases
FRANCE: Mental health named “Great national cause”
For the year 2025, the French government has chosen to make mental health the “Grande Cause nationale”. Under the slogan “Let’s talk about mental health!” (Parlons santé mentale!), the aim is to improve understanding and support for this issue through a year of dedicated actions.
Every year since 1977, the French government chose a “Great national cause” theme. For one year, it highlights a social issue at national level, and promotes credible projects or events led by associations, companies, local authorities, etc. For the year 2025, mental health was the subject of a number of communication campaigns, with messages broadcast on public television and radio channels.
As part of this drive, the French government has launched a website entitled “Parlons santé mentale!” (Let’s talk about mental health!), which lists documentary resources, local and national initiatives, and entry points to existing support systems.
Moreover, whether or not it’s due to work, 1 in 4 employees declare themselves to be in poor mental health (source). With regard to the workplace, the French Ministry of Labour, Health, Solidarity and Family has recently made available a toolbox for employers and managers (company directors, middle managers, HR directors, etc.), bringing together all existing resources on the subject of psychosocial risks and their prevention in the workplace.
Generally speaking, there are many tools available for preventing, assessing and managing psychosocial risks in the workplace. Many of these have been developed by the French National Research and Safety Institute for the Prevention of Occupational Accidents and Diseases (« Institut national de recherche et de sécurité pour la prévention des accidents du travail et des maladies professionnelles »): general information on RPS, main risk factors, applicable regulations, assessment tools and questionnaires, guides, brochures, posters, training offers… All freely available on their website.
EUROGIP, the French observatory and resource center for international occupational risks, is also taking an interest in this topic. In the autumn, it will publish a report on the prevention of psychosocial risks at work in Europe and internationally.
After publishing a study on the recognition and compensation of work-related mental disorders in Europe, EUROGIP is now finalizing a mapping of psychosocial risk prevention at work, showing national efforts to guarantee mental health and well-being in the workplace. The study covers various actions in a number of European and non-European countries:
- Developments at the level of the European Union and international organisations;
- National legislative developments;
- National tools to help employers assess psychosocial risks;
- Solutions, resources and communication campaigns offered by workers’ compensation insurers, national occupational health and safety institutes or ministries;
- Ministerial projects and financial aid for the prevention of psychosocial risks. ●