Jonny Jacobs CA: His impact as a One Young World Ambassador
One Young World highlights the exceptional achievements of their ambassador, Jonny Jacobs CA, in their latest impact report.
Jonny took the top spot as ICAS’ One Young CA in 2017 and went on to represent ICAS at One Young World in Columbia, joining a global community of brilliant young leaders. Every year One Young World brings together the brightest minds from across the globe to address pressing issues and drive meaningful change.
Jonny has since used his influence to drive social change as a mental health advocate, including through his work with the Mental Health Foundation and as a co-lead for ICAS’ mental fitness strategy.
Jonny's journey as an advocate for positive change
"I wouldn’t have built the confidence to share my story if it wasn’t for One Young World. No question. So everything that I do now One Young World has touched in some way. I’ve got the confidence, because I’ve seen other people allow themselves to show vulnerability. It’s the network as well; coming back and speaking on the main stage in 2019 and again in Manchester this year has helped me shape my story, find a route to give back and hopefully inspire others.”
Jonny has always had a keen interest in giving people opportunities to reach their full potential. In 2016, he was nominated by ICAS to be their Young Chartered Accountant of the Year, a role which earned him a place to attend the One Young World Summit in Bogotá, 2017.
At the time, Jonny was the Strategy and Transformation Director and an active mental health programme sponsor at his previous company. These experiences, along with his challenging upbringing, were the catalyst for Jonny to become an advocate for positive change in his career.
Jonny took on the role of an ambassador and executive sponsor for pladis Global’s mental health programme, elevating the initiative onto the strategic agenda of the business through his role in the executive team. The programme began with a small group of colleagues working to break the stigma of mental health in the workplace before reaching 4,000 employees in the UK and influencing globally through education and support. This led to McVitie’s first-ever social partnership with the mental health charity, Mind. The joint Let’s Talk campaign leveraged the brand for social good to drive a national mental health conversation.
Now at Starbucks, Jonny influences the strategic agenda as the sponsor of a wellbeing programme, the Wellbeing Blend, with 200 trained ambassadors expanding across geographies. The programme’s three core components, physical, mental, and financial wellbeing, support colleagues to feel their best every day. Starbucks has enhanced its support tools for people experiencing tough times, with counselling, prevention services, training, and education, whilst at the same time enhancing policies to support its partners to thrive. During Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, thousands of Starbucks baristas wore a green ribbon for mental health awareness. Jonny has successfully helped expand the scope, scale, and national impact of Starbucks’ wellbeing and D&I initiatives, leveraging the company’s strong foundations in corporate social responsibility.
Jonny is also a Board Member for the Mental Health Foundation, the UK’s leading charity for everyone’s mental health, and Mental Health at Work CIC who lead the Mental Health Allies Programme, which trains employees, including line managers, on how to spot the signs of mental ill health. Jonny has brought together his experience to also co-lead the Mental Fitness in Business strategy for ICAS, which is leading the mental health conversation amongst the profession.
Hear more from Jonny Jacobs CA in our latest ICAS podcast episode