Yellow September is an awareness campaign dedicated to suicide prevention and the promotion of mental health. Held annually, its goal is to help destigmatize the topic across society. The campaign takes World Suicide Prevention Day, officially established on September 10, 2003, by the World Health Organization (WHO), as a reference point to reinforce the importance of open dialogue, the early identification of signs of emotional distress, and easier access to support channels and specialized treatment.
Brazil recorded more than 546,000 work leaves related to mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and burnout, according to the Ministry of Social Security. This is the highest figure in the historical series, representing an increase of more than 15% compared with the previous year. To further illustrate the seriousness of the issue, the Centro de Valorização da Vida (CVV) receives 124,000 calls per month through its 188 support line, while 42 people die by suicide every day in Brazil.
For companies, the campaign provides an important opportunity to open conversations that need to happen. The key is to do so in a respectful and useful way: a campaign should inform people, clearly indicate where they can seek help, and remain consistent with the support practices the organization maintains throughout the year. It is from this perspective that Sherlock Communications recommends looking at the most common mistakes and the communication choices that can help avoid them.
How companies can communicate prevention responsibly
Talking about suicide prevention is important. Silence does not offer protection; what makes the difference is how the subject is addressed. When planning a campaign, we recommend that companies rely on information from specialized sources, avoid oversimplification, and clearly communicate the support options available.
Valuable sources such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), and the Centro de Valorização da Vida (CVV) provide official materials and guidance on how to address the topic appropriately.
To begin with, it is important to address some common myths that need to be better understood.
- “Talking about suicide encourages people to act on it” is a MYTH. Responsible conversations about suicide can help vulnerable people reconsider their situation, access tools to seek help, and feel less isolated and alone.
- “People who think about suicide are determined to die” is a MYTH. Ambivalence is precisely where opportunities for support can emerge. People may be experiencing intense distress and looking for ways to alleviate their suffering, and talking about it can be an important first step toward improvement.
- “Suicide happens suddenly, without warning” is a MYTH. In most cases, verbal and behavioral warning signs can be identified, and recognizing them can save lives.
- “Only people with mental health disorders are at risk of suicide” is a MYTH. Many other factors may also act as triggers, including chronic pain, isolation, violence, and social and cultural issues.
The way companies address this subject requires both ethical and technical rigor. Describing methods, exposing individual stories without appropriate care, or using stigmatizing terminology can become unintended triggers.
This applies to both internal and external communications, from employee emails to social media posts. Before publishing any information, companies should verify whether it is fact-based, whether it avoids sensationalist imagery or headlines, whether it respects the complexity of the issue, and whether it includes clear information on where people can seek help. Sherlock Communications recommends reviewing these decisions with the support of official sources and qualified professionals. The World Health Organization’s guidance on responsible communication about suicide is an important reference for this process.
The trap of generic messaging and “yellowwashing”
According to psychologist Karen Scavacini, founder of Instituto Vita Alere, a leading Brazilian organization specializing in mental health and suicide prevention, poorly planned initiatives can create more risks than protective factors. The problem is often not a company’s intention, but rather a lack of depth, misaligned expectations, and a disconnect between institutional messaging and the organization’s everyday reality.
One of the main shortcomings of corporate campaigns is reducing the subject to superficial slogans. According to Karen Scavacini, generic phrases such as “You are not alone” or “Talking is the best solution,” when displayed in marketing emails or on office noticeboards without structured support behind them, lose their protective effectiveness.
This practice may fall under what is known as yellowwashing: the superficial adoption of Yellow September as little more than a marketing accessory, creating a false sense of care and support. The concept of “washing” refers to the practice of making something appear more positive or responsible for public presentation, whether through opportunism, lack of knowledge, or even bad faith. The term began gaining prominence in the 1980s, particularly through the concept of greenwashing, when companies appropriated environmental causes mainly for appearances.
At COP30, Coletivo Marketing B, together with Ecomunica and the UN Global Compact, launched the Anti-Allwashing Guide, available free of charge online. The guide promotes responsible and conscious marketing practices and explains different ways companies can build initiatives with structural and long-term impact.
One-off initiatives and disconnection from organizational culture
Another common mistake is treating mental health as a one-off calendar event. Hiring a speaker for an awareness session in September does not solve structural problems in a workplace affected by chronic overload, subtle forms of harassment, or a lack of flexibility.
The importance of continuity has become increasingly relevant in light of regulations on psychosocial risks across the region, such as the updates to Regulatory Standard No. 1 (NR-1) in Brazil, NOM-035 in Mexico, the Psychosocial Risk Battery in Colombia, the SUSESO Protocol in Chile, and Law No. 29783 in Peru. For corporate campaigns, the implication is clear: the message communicated in September should be connected to concrete measures and genuine support channels, rather than existing in isolation. The respective labor ministries and institutions also provide regulations and guidance materials for their appropriate management.
The conversation around prevention needs to reflect the specific reality of each organization and provide clear, practical, and ongoing pathways for support. Awareness talks should serve as entry points into permanent wellbeing programs. When Yellow September ends but harmful management practices remain unchanged, employees’ trust in leadership can be undermined.
How to build a responsible Yellow September strategy
To move from a symbolic campaign to an effective prevention and care program, companies should focus on structural pillars:
Review content before publication: Ensure that the people responsible for the campaign have access to reliable sources and that messages are reviewed with specialist support and aligned with the company’s culture.
Provide accessible and confidential support channels: Clearly communicate which channels are available, when applicable, and how employees can access services such as public, private and NGO services.
Maintain ongoing dialogue, training, and support policies throughout the year: Mental health should be integrated into workplace safety and corporate governance indicators rather than addressed only during September.
Yellow September is a campaign with real potential for impact and must therefore be approached with the seriousness it requires. This article aims to raise awareness about the measures that need to be taken and the initiatives that need to be developed in order to effectively create a collective and safe workplace environment.