Asda launches employment support package for Ukrainian refugees

Asda has said it will offer Ukrainian refugees arriving in the UK a guaranteed job interview and provide specialist support to those who are recruited as Asda colleagues.

The supermarket currently has around 1,500 salaried and hourly-paid roles available in its stores, warehouses and within its sourcing and procurement arm IPL and would welcome applications from Ukrainian refugees to fill these roles.

Asda has also confirmed that it will make a colleague discount card and access to wellbeing support services immediately available to any Ukrainian refugees joining the business, with the intention of helping them establish themselves in their new community.

The supermarket is also producing Ukrainian-language welcome packs to highlight the support available and introducing badges for Ukrainian speaking colleagues to wear in stores to help customers from the country feel welcome.

Asda’s Chief People Officer, Hayley Tatum, said: “We can’t imagine how difficult the last few weeks have been for those people who have been forced to abandon their homes and seek refuge abroad.”

“We want to support those Ukrainian refugees who come to the UK by helping them find employment as this will give them the stability and security needed to help build a new life for themselves.”

Ukrainian nationals wishing to apply for a job with Asda, will simply need to tick a box confirming their nationality on the Asda job site, while IPL applicants will just have to provide their nationality when they apply. ”

“Interviews will be guaranteed to candidates with the appropriate qualifications for the roles advertised – which include warehouse operatives, retail colleagues, delivery drivers, pharmacists and optometrists.”

Earlier this month, Asda announced a £1m package to support displaced Ukrainian families in Europe and the UK.

This included a £100k donation from the Asda Foundation to support to national UK-based refugee support groups as well as making Asda Foundation grants of up to £580,000 available to support local and grass-roots refugee groups across the UK.

Asda also made a £250k corporate donation to UNICEF and delivered essential supplies including George clothing, nappies, toiletries, period products and food to the Polish boarder for onward distribution in the Ukraine.