Liberty Two Degrees advocates for mental health support within its retail spaces
29 July 2022

Mental health related challenges were exacerbated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which saw rates of depression, anxiety and suicide rise alarmingly. A study conducted by Wits School of Economics and Finance showed that the prevalence of depressive symptoms doubled between 2017 and 2020.

Exercising its duty of care within its malls, with the objective of not only educating the public about mental health but also giving access to resources that provide mental health support, Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) has partnered with Panda, a free-to-download digital app that is designed to put mental health information, community support and expert help literally in the palm of the user’s hand. This facility is open and accessible to the general public.

Amelia Beattie, Chief Executive at L2D comments, "As people, our mental wellbeing is the most important component of our day-to-day functioning. When our mental wellbeing is negatively impacted, everyone around us is affected whether directly or indirectly. As a business, the wellbeing of our people is of utmost importance to us, and through our assets, we are responsible for the safety and security of the thousands of people that make use of our shopping centres. It is therefore very important for us as L2D to contribute to a meaningful cause such as this. Through our SAFE Spaces strategic initiatives, we aim to advocate for better care for people suffering with mental health challenges. In partnership with Panda, we aim to bridge the gap by making mental health resources freely accessible within our assets."

Many of the approximately one-third of South Africans who may suffer from some form of mental health challenge sometime in their lives, struggle to afford the necessary support. With this in mind, L2D piloted this initiative at Sandton City, and is currently rolling this out to other owned centres including Nelson Mandela Square, Eastgate Shopping Centre, Liberty Midlands Mall and Liberty Promenade.

Visitors can access QR codes available on the digital screens at the centre. Furthermore, visitors are urged to also access the app through the public address. Using the promo code #SandtonCity, users can anonymously; access seven 30-minute sessions from a mental health professional, engage in audio-only peer-led discussions with others facing similar challenges, as well as join expert-led group discussions to better understand mental health-related topics.

Apart from the live interactive sessions, Panda users can complete assessments to identify areas where they need support the most, with evidence-based programmes being recommended based on assessment feedback. There is also a gamified means for users to track their progress to monitor how they have improved over time.

To eliminate any incidences that occur from mental health challenges, such as suicide, some of the direct steps taken in high-risk areas at Sandton City include locking high-incidence access doors and raising the height of the balustrades.

L2D has been affirmed by the Safe Asset Group, a global certification and advisory company, as the first responsible owner in Africa to achieve the international SHORE certifications, for all its malls. All malls in the portfolio underwent the annual SHORE assessment and achieved Gold ratings for 2021. The SHORE certification includes risk, security, operational resilience, and a duty of care towards tenants and customers.

"We believe that mental health awareness is important to discuss year-round, but highlighting this during Mental Illness Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for mental health advocates across the country to come together as one unified voice. Our role as a nation to support each other through such conditions is an important one. We can all play our part to support those affected,” Beattie concludes.

To download the Panda App on the Android store, click here, and this video makes it easy to follow the steps to do so.

Notes to Editors
About Liberty Two Degrees Limited
Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) is a South African precinct-focused, retail-centred REIT, reconstituted and listed as a corporate REIT ON 1 November 2018. L2D’s purpose is to continue to create experiential spaces that benefit generations, with a vision to be the leading South African, precinct-focused, retail-centred REIT. L2D’s purpose and vision guide its strategy and underpin its everyday business activities.

About Liberty Two Degrees’ portfolio
L2D has investments in a quality portfolio of iconic assets, these are:
• Johannesburg: o Sandton City Complex; Eastgate Complex; and Nelson Mandela Square; o Sandton Sun Hotel, the InterContinental Sandton Towers and the Garden Court Sandton City; and o Melrose Arch precinct
• Cape Town: Liberty Promenade Shopping Centre;
• KwaZulu-Natal: Liberty Centre Head Office and Umhlanga Ridge Office Park; Liberty Midlands Mall; John Ross Eco-Junction Estate; and
• Bloemfontein: Botshabelo Mall

L2D building blocks
L2D is focused on continuously improving the quality of its assets, introducing innovative and unique experiences that attract tenants, shoppers and visitors to its malls in order to create sustainable value for stakeholders. This has been articulated through the L2D strategic building blocks, which help futureproof the assets and truly set them apart in the market and sharpen the focus of L2D’s efforts and business activities. The L2D building blocks are:

• Good Spaces: L2D understands the importance of partnering with its stakeholders to accelerate its positive impact on the natural environment. L2D remains bold in driving its net zero commitments, which is evident at its business operations and sites, reducing carbon emissions, water use and waste generation as it moves towards achieving its net zero sustainability target by 2030. Supportive initiatives have been implemented to achieve this goal.

• Smart Spaces: L2D aims to secure and sustain its leading position in the market by remaining at the forefront of innovative design thinking. The creation of smart environments that integrate technology to enhance the customer and retailer experience is a key initiative in this strategic growth area. Through Smart Spaces, L2D aims to accelerate its roadmap to create the seamless interaction between digital and physical retail.

• Interactive Spaces: Interactive Spaces is about providing an interchange of ideas and experiences within the L2D malls.

• Safe Spaces: L2D’s building blocks are all underpinned by Safe Spaces. L2D aims to drive a clearly defined mall strategy that ensures the mall environments hold the highest standard of safety and security for tenants and shoppers. L2D has been affirmed by SAFE Shopping Centres, a Global certification and advisory company, as the first responsible owner in Africa to achieve international certification following a Covid-19 assessment, taking the extra steps to ensure duty of care for tenants and shoppers.