Asda Our Inclusion Network digital platform goes live

Asda has launched Our Inclusion Network, a digital platform where its 140,000 employees can be part of the retailer’s inclusion initiatives and discussions.

“It will not only host the latest inclusion news, it’s also a forum for colleagues to ask questions, give feedback, connect with others and understand what support is available,” the retailer said in a LinkedIn post.

It added: “We’re passionate about creating a culture where all colleagues can bring their best and true selves to work every day.”

“We do recognise, however, that there’s always more to do, and so we’re committed to continually listening to our colleagues to help us get things right.”

RTIH Innovation Awards

Asda emerged triumphant in the Bricks and Mortar Innovation category at the 2020 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The award celebrates retailers who are enabling physical spaces to thrive via innovative technology, even as online shopping continues to grow.

We were looking for examples of reducing friction in the customer journey, offering improved experiences, and blurring the lines between channels.

Asda beat out the likes of Walmart and JD.com to pick up the gong, impressing our judges with its Stevenage innovation store.

2020 highlights included the roll out of an electronic shelf edge labelling (eSEL) solution.

Louise Bagshaw, Senior Director of Retail Front End and Innovation at Asda, commented: “It’s great to receive recognition for the Tech Store team, our central stakeholders and of course the store; it really is a full team effort landing innovation in Stevenage.”

“With each initiative we have a really clear plan and have an open mindset. With innovation we start small, fail fast and move onto the next project.”

“This gives our colleagues and suppliers a really unique opportunity to try out technology in a live store environment – learning from our customers and store teams along the way.”

She added: “Colleague and customer engagement is a big part of how we work; as a team we work closely with colleagues and customers to help them embrace the new technology in their store.”

“It’s important that our colleagues really believe in the technology and getting them excited about the massive part they play towards our strategy has been key to success for many of our projects.