Get Construction Talking Raises More Than $600,000 for Mental Health
The conversation around mental health in construction is gaining momentum, but there’s still much work to be done. Among men in the US, UK and Australia, construction has one of the highest suicide rates of any sector. In the US alone, a construction worker is five times more likely to die by suicide than from any other fatal work-related injury.
In just under two years, Procore and The B1M’s Get Construction Talking campaign has become a powerful force for change, raising over $600,000 to address the crisis. We’re now more than halfway to our $1 million goal, but the journey is far from over. The momentum is building, and together, we can make an even bigger impact.
Let’s take a look back at the last year and the strides we’ve made toward creating a safer, more supportive industry.
Key Moments in Advancing Awareness
Last year was marked with many firsts for Get Construction Talking as the campaign continued to break new ground in raising awareness and support for mental health in the industry. In May, Procore hosted a mental health webinar, featuring construction leaders from around the world who are actively implementing changes to improve culture and mental health, including Brian Murray, CEO of Ryan Companies, Alison Mirams, former CEO of Roberts Co, and Fred Mills, founder of The B1M.
In October, Procore made a bold commitment to amplify the campaign’s impact, announcing that it would triple any donation made through the end of 2024, contributing an additional $2 for every $1 donated. This announcement was reinforced during the opening keynote at Groundbreak by Procore CEO Tooey Courtemanche, inspiring attendees to raise more than $40,000 in support of mental health resources and services for the industry.
“Since launching this campaign, many leaders of some of the largest construction companies in the world have reached out to me to reaffirm its importance. In fact, one of our largest contributors so far was a personal donation from the CEO of an ENR 400 company,” said Courtemanche. “It’s encouraging to see the industry come together to break the stigma around this topic.”
Over the summer, Logan Price, a degree apprentice quantity surveyor at MPB Structures, who shared his journey with mental health in part 1 of the Get Construction Talking documentary, climbed the Matterhorn to raise funds for the initiative. His efforts resulted in more than $25,000 raised. Then, in October, The B1M and Procore hosted its first Mental Health Summit in London.
Together, these milestones marked a year of tremendous growth and action for the campaign, with every effort contributing to a more supportive and sustainable future for mental health in construction.
Partnering with Charities Around the World
With the funds raised, Get Construction Talking partner charities have sustained and amplified their support of the industry. For example, in Australia, Mates in Construction is using the funds to bolster their 24/7 helpline, available to the construction industry and their 40,000 volunteers. The funds have also supported their training programs, which helps to create “Connectors” – jobsite contacts for support – MATES social workers, large-scale training opportunities with the potential to reach hundreds of construction contacts, and more.
In the U.S., the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP), has used the funds to increase their reach and implement new awareness training materials for microlearning and toolbox talks that cover both intervention and post-vention support. The group estimates that they’ve reached about 10,000 people in the U.S., with the board frequently traveling to support training and awareness activities for the construction industry.
Creating Bold, Direct Campaigns
In addition to raising funds to support these critical charities, Get Construction Talking has reached more than 20 million people through its advertising campaigns, such as its billboard in Times Square, its documentary series on YouTube and its social media accounts. Mental health has also been a prominent topic on leading podcasts, such as The B1M’s podcast, The Power of Construction podcast, and the National Institute of Building Sciences podcast, which recently won an award for the episode featuring Get Construction Talking.
“Getting this right, and addressing mental health in construction, is one of the keys to the future success of construction. If we don’t get this right, the skills crisis will continue, the labor shortage will continue, and we will lose our most valuable, and important resource – people,” said Mills.
Continuing the Conversation
As awareness around mental health continues to grow, it’s imperative that we push to move words into action. Simply talking, and directing those in need to professional resources, is a great first step, and is something that anyone can do. Moving into 2025, Procore and The B1M will continue to support mental health in construction, including exploring opportunities to raise awareness of the issue globally.
You can learn more about Get Construction Talking here, access the free, downloadable toolkit for an easy-to-use guide to mental health resources, or make an investment in construction mental health here.
Funds raised from the Get Construction Talking campaign are distributed to Lighthouse Charity, Construction Sport and Mates in Mind in the U.K., Mates in Construction in Australia, and Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) in the U.S.
