Wellness products and services retailer Holland & Barrett hosted its first ever sustainability and impact takeover week at the start of the month in a move the company said “helped bring our purpose to life” across the organisation.
Orchestrated by the internal communications team, the event featured stories about the purposeful initiatives the retailer runs behind the scenes, and brought in guest speakers from outside the business to fuel inspiration.
In a post on LinkedIn, Holland & Barrett said its workforce was able to hear from Pippa Morris, strategy director at B Corp-certified consultancy Revolt, Yuliana Safari and Simon Black at brand design agency JDO Global, Lucy Shea, group CEO at change agency Futerra, and Samira Brophy and Eleanor Thornton-Firkin from research group Ipsos UK.
The week also included a plant-based brunch event with the retailer’s innovation chef and brand ambassador, James Fisher.
During the course of the week, those involved learnt about how sustainability is shaping everything from packaging to product. It was an event established to inspire and help sustainability become embedded in all aspects of the Holland & Barrett operation.
Some of the retailer’s food suppliers, including Hodmedod, LRQA, Aduna Superfoods, Grass & Co, Wildfarmed and Willy’s Apple Cider Vinegar, also contributed to the week.
The event comes after a change in ESG leadership at Holland & Barrett earlier this year. Jessica Long joined as head of sustainability in March after six and a half years at Ipsos UK – she replaced Richard Mason, who moved on after three years as head of ESG to become positive business director at Pentland Brands.
“Takeover Week is all about celebrating the incredible work that’s happening across Holland & Barrett to drive positive environmental and social impact – but it’s also a clear signal that sustainability is core to our growth strategy,” Long explained to Green Retail World.
“By embedding it into everything from our brand and business model to our innovation pipeline, we’re creating real commercial value. It’s about cultural transformation, colleague engagement, attracting new customers, building trust, and setting ourselves up for long-term success.”
Reflecting on the sustainability and impact event, she added: “It’s been brilliant to see such strong engagement from colleagues right across the business. The energy and ideas sparked during the sessions, covering everything from sustainable brand strategy to future-focused innovation, show just how passionate and purposeful our teams are about building a better future.”
Read more about Holland & Barrett on Green Retail World
[image credits: Holland & Barrett]
