SME WellBusiness Charter
The SME WellBusiness Charter is a free, self-guided programme from Chambers Ireland, developed in partnership with Healthy Ireland, to help SMEs create healthier workplaces. Available to all affiliated Chamber members, it provides practical resources, guidance, and toolkits, along with opportunities for engagement through forums, training sessions, events, and shared learning experiences.
Why It Matters
Chambers Ireland is committed to supporting the long-term success and competitiveness of Irish businesses. Central to that success is the recognition that people are an organisation’s most valuable asset. In recent years, workplace health and wellbeing has evolved from a ‘nice to have’ into a strategic business advantage – driving employee retention, productivity, resilience, and overall performance. Through the SME WellBusiness Charter, we’re helping SMEs turn that vision into action—creating healthier workplaces that support both people and the bottom line.
The Business Case
Investing in workplace health and wellbeing delivers a strong return—while doing nothing comes at a cost. Inaction can lead to turnover, absenteeism, and presenteeism, but prevention pays—strategies such as culture change and raising mental health awareness can return up to £6.30 for every £1 spent.
£5,379
The annual cost of poor mental health per employee in the finance industry – Deloitte
£4.70
The average return on investment for every £1 invested in employee mental health – Deloitte
1.84%
Higher annualised return for companies with strong workplace wellbeing compared to the S&P 500 – University of Oxford
How It Works
The SME WellBusiness Charter is built on the principles of the Healthy Workplace Framework and follows four simple steps. First, leadership commit by signing the Charter and appointing a Wellbeing Champion. Then, consult your employees using our needs assessment template to identify priorities. Next, create and implement your annual wellbeing plan with the help of our tools and resources. Finally, continue by reviewing progress, celebrating achievements, and refining your approach each year. The full step-by-step guidance and supporting resources are available on our member portal.
.
The Four Fundamentals of a Healthy Workplace
A healthy workplace culture is at the heart of the SME WellBusiness Charter, focusing on everyday behaviours and the wider work environment that shape employee health and wellbeing. It’s built around four key areas: supporting individual health, designing good work, promoting positive team dynamics, and embedding wellbeing into business strategy. These four areas form the basis of your needs assessment, helping you target initiatives to what matters most to employees and maximise the effectiveness of your wellbeing programme.
What You Get
When you sign up to the SME WellBusiness Charter, you’ll get access to our exclusive portal where you can explore practical resources, templates, and training videos. You’ll also be signed up to our newsletter to hear about live events, forums, networking opportunities, and the latest insights from across the network. The programme can be used as a standalone approach or be integrated into an existing wellbeing strategy, offering flexibility to suit each business’s needs and size.
Practical Resources
Latest Insights
Events & Forums
Training
Public Charter & Recognition
Peer Support
Download our information pack for more information about the programme.