Karl Bennett has been re-elected as chair of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) UK until 2027.
Bennet, who was the former Wellbeing Director at employee benefits provider Vivup and director at EAP provider Carefirst, was first elected as chair in 2023.
Bennett emphasised the importance to the sector of maintaining the highest standards and focusing on core capabilities around mental health at his presentation to the EAPA UK Annual General Meeting last week.
Bennett said: “EAPs are thriving as the ‘go to’ service for mental health support for millions of employees in the UK every year — and with that demand, there comes even more pressures and responsibilities.
“We need to continue with maintaining the highest levels of clinical and ethical standards.
“The increased attention and significance of employee wellbeing over the past decade has meant EAPs being drawn into delivering a much wider range of wellbeing services. And that can be a distraction from the real purpose and missions of EAPs in the UK, to find the best ways to support employees with their mental health and emotional wellness.
“It’s a privilege to be re-elected and I’m looking forward to pushing ahead on these areas alongside our dedicated board at EAPA UK, and provide the best possible framework for all the brilliant, committed professionals employed by our industry.”
Additionally, Brian Taylor from Life & Progress and David Elliott from Manage Health have joined the EAPA UK board, while Eugene Farrell, who led EAPA UK through the Covid-19 pandemic, has stepped down.
The board now comprises: Karl Bennett (Chair), Steven Stanbury (Vice-Chair), Bertrand Stern-Gillet (Treasurer), Jayne Andrews (Secretary), and the following members: Harry Key, Stefan Jagielski, Cliff Lee, James Dickson, Emma Bradshaw, Brian Taylor, and David Elliott.
According to Bennett, all current members passed a new standards audit this year.
