In an industry defined by creativity, customer connection and speed, Tapestry has made mental wellbeing a core pillar of its people-centered organization. The parent company of iconic brands Coach and kate spade new york supports a richly varied workforce across corporate offices, creative studios, fulfillment centers and retail stores. Each employee group faces unique pressures and mental health needs.  

To strengthen employee wellbeing in a meaningful and scalable way, Tapestry engaged the National Council for Mental Wellbeing to bring Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) to corporate teams at kate spade new york in 2018. Five years later, Tapestry built on this foundation, becoming the first organization to adopt El MAH en acción para el comercio minorista in 2023, a retail-specific training model designed for the fast-paced, customer-facing realities of the retail industry.  

The investment has made a difference: Nearly 1,000 Tapestry employees have completed MHFA training, and 100% of them report feeling better equipped to support someone experiencing a mental health challenge. In 2025, Tapestry was named to Newsweek’s America’s Greatest Workplaces for Mental Well-being 2025 list, reinforcing its position as a retail leader in mental health support at scale.  

Over the last five years of working together, the kate spade new york social impact team helped inform the development of the retail-specific MHFA model, while Tapestry’s rollout of the training transformed the broader organizational culture. By embedding MHFA in its brands, departments and job functions, Tapestry is building a workplace where mental health is integrated into its employees’ everyday conversation — strengthening connection, leadership and support across all levels of the business.  

Why Tapestry Chose MHFA at Work 

Supporting Store and Corporate Teams

 Modern Retail noted that retail employees frequently encounter customer stress, financial strain and heightened emotional dynamics, making mental health skills essential for store performance as well as employee wellbeing.  

Brittany Daniels, a kate spade new york  store leader, said, “Retail is a space that is ever-changing. Navigating change and difficulty every day is something we have to do, and [MHFA] equipped us to do it.” She added that MHFA equipped store associates with skills to improve customer interactions. “I think they leave our stores understanding that we care about them, not just their purchase.”  

Creative and product development teams typically face intense deadlines and pressure for precision. As Lissette Siesholtz, senior director of technical design at kate spade new york and a certified MHFA employee, said, “We put a lot of pressure on ourselves sometimes, and that can lead to burnout. It’s important that we create an environment of psychological safety where people feel like they can tell their manager when they need to take a rest and that rest will be respected.”  

Strengthening Leadership and Connection  

MHFA training builds core leadership skills — noticing shifts in behavior, asking supportive questions, listening deeply to the answers and responding with empathy. Mike Brooks, a store manager at Coach, said, “MHFA prepares me to be a better manager because I’m more open to listening to the things that aren’t being said.”   

Executive leaders agree. “Mental Health First Aid is a wonderful program. I wish we had known about it years ago,” said Beth Stankard, senior vice president and head of human resources at Coach and talent acquisition at Tapestry, emphasizing how MHFA aligns with Tapestry’s vision for a more connected and psychologically safe workplace. With employees modeling skills learned through MHFA, teams across Tapestry are recognizing shifts in how they communicate, check in with one another and create space for mental health conversations.  

Aligning With Tapestry’s Values  

As a people-centered company, Tapestry invites employees to bring their individuality to work and supports them personally and professionally. Employees regularly share that wellbeing is an area they want to hear more about and is a top priority in their employee experience.  

In response to this feedback, Tapestry founded Priority You, a global, employee-led, community wellbeing group. This group offers resources and programming on financial health, nutrition, exercise, mental health and more, including MHFA certification.  

“We saw Mental Health First Aid as a worthy investment because we care about our employees and want them to feel seen as humans first,” said Siesholtz, a Priority You co-leader.   

Implementation and Scale 

In 2023, the National Council expanded the MHFA at Work curriculum with the industry-specific El MAH en acción para el comercio minorista, offered with a self-paced learning option. This enhancement reflected the realities of retail and corporate roles, from customer de-escalation scenarios to workplace burnout and stress.   

Tapestry was the first organization to implement MHFA at Work for Retail, delivering both virtual and in-person training to maximize access for store, corporate and fulfillment teams across Coach and kate spade new york.  

Results and Impact  

Quantitative Outcomes*  

MHFA at Work for Retail is already proving valuable to Tapestry’s corporate and retail teams. The self-paced model is particularly useful for shift-based workforces, removing barriers that often prevent frontline teams from accessing mental health training. Employees report feeling more comfortable recognizing when someone may be struggling and using shared, approachable language to start mental health conversations.  

After training, employees report greater confidence in recognizing when someone may be struggling, more comfort in initiating supportive conversations and stronger relationships within their teams.  

Taryn Bird, senior director of social impact at kate spade new york, emphasized the significance of this shared foundation and the importance of extending this work beyond the brand to involve others both outside and within their teams.  

“We started our partnership with the National Council to provide women and girls in New York City with access to Mental Health First Aid in 2021. That partnership grew not only to provide mental health resources and tools to communities outside our company but also to our teams within it. We were really energized to be part of the Mental Health First Aid at Work for Retail pilot in 2024 with Lululemon and Ikea to make Mental Health First Aid more accessible and relevant for our industry and field colleagues.”  

She added that the training offered practical, accessible scripts employees could use right away, “[The National Council] did a really nice job modeling very simple, direct, helpful language to bridge those conversations with coworkers.”  

Looking Ahead

As more retailers recognize the importance of mental health training, Tapestry is positioned at the forefront. Tapestry’s experience shows how meaningful it can be when employee mental health skills become part of daily operations rather than a standalone initiative.  

For businesses considering MHFA, the message is clear: Practical, skills-based training can transform the employee experience. Siesholtz said, “If someone is skeptical, I’d tell them to just go for it. The more we talk about mental health, the easier it feels to discuss it.” With MHFA now a cornerstone of its people-centered strategy, Tapestry is building a more resilient, empathetic and supportive workplace where every employee can thrive.