We continue to work hard towards our goal of being the UK’s most inclusive and diverse retailer. Here’s what we’ve achieved since the last update in October.
Our team is now 17% BAME – 3% Black and 14% Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds, including 14% of our Leadership team – mirroring the UK population*. This is an overall increase of 2% since our last update in July.
Our Talent Acquisition team is committed to helping us achieve our targets. Since October they have built key external partnerships to improve our diversity in recruiting. We aim to reach new people who may have never considered a career with Ocado Retail. We’re engaging with inspiring organisations such as PSALT RISE, Making the Leap, Feeding Britain’s Future and Inclusive Employers.
Getting better every day
Our Inclusion network volunteers have been busy working behind the scenes making sure that every Ocado Retail colleague has the support they need to be their best self at work, and at home.
The Mind & Body team:
- Taking part in Purple Light Up, the global movement that celebrates and draws attention to the economic contribution of the 386 million disabled employees around the world. Thank you to our CFO, Niall, for going purple for the day at our weekly Huddle.
- Organising information and virtual talks and comms for International Day of People with Disabilities.
- Sharing daily internal emails during National Inclusion Week on different topics by individual team members.
- Hosting a mindfulness Lunch and Learn for World Mental Health Day.
The Partners in Pride team:
- Creating a support network for colleagues to get in touch with concerns as well as providing a platform for all colleagues to ask questions or queries about LGBTQ+ issues or the community.
- Reviewing our recruitment policies with Stonewall to make the policies actively more LGBTQ+ inclusive.
- Improving understanding by educating colleagues on allyship and providing the option to add pronouns to their email signatures.
- Updating colleagues on LGBTQ+ issues and events, including World AIDS Day and LGBTQ+ History Month.
We are proud of the progress we’ve made. Please share your questions or suggestions by emailing us at diversity@ocadoretail.com
Thank you,
Mel Smith CBE, CEO, and everyone in the Ocado Retail family.
*As a comparison, the most recent UK census reported 87% of people in the UK as White, and 13% as belonging to a Black, Asian, Mixed or Other ethnic group. (source: UK Census data from ONS).