Healthy and Inclusive Workplace
We are committed to delivering equal opportunities and a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce and culture.
Our goal is to create a workplace that is welcoming, inclusive and representative of the global communities that we serve. We have a demonstrated focus on increasing diversity at the leadership level and expanding resources for existing team members in the form of business resource groups, learning and development programs, and comprehensive benefits packages.
7.1%
Increase of people of color in leadership roles in the U.S.
100%
Compliance with diverse slates of candidates and diverse interview panels
$625M+
Spent with Tier 1 diverse suppliers, from $521.5M in fiscal 2021
3 Years
WBA named to Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for third consecutive year
#1
Boots UK named Company of the year at British Diversity Awards
32
Average hours of training completed per team member
64K
HUG (Hello, Understand, Go the Extra Mile) Boots UK customer service training modules completed
* As of the end of fiscal 2022, August 31, 2022
“WBA’s purpose – living more joyful lives through better health –starts with our team members. We know that when we meet the needs of our people, our team is best equipped to meet the needs of our customers and patients. This philosophy informed our people vision: to care for our team members as whole people.”
Holly May
Executive Vice President and Global Chief Human Resources Officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance
With more than 325,000 employees in nine countries, our workplace encompasses a range of backgrounds, cultures, experiences, perspectives and insights. Our goal is to create a culture underpinned by allyship, where diversity, equity and inclusion is not just a mantra but a way of working. Our mission is to attract, develop and engage employees and partners who reflect the diverse customers and communities we serve, and to foster an inclusive future where everyone feels respected, valued, and excited to grow their career with us.
Our board of directors continues to be deeply engaged on DEI issues and provides oversight and governance related to our initiatives and public commitments in this area. As of Aug. 31, 2022, the WBA senior management team was comprised of five female directors, two African American directors, one Asian American director and one director who identifies as LGBTQ+. Forty-five percent of members of the board of directors are female and 100 percent of the members of our board of directors are over the age of 50.
Working with business leaders, our Supplier Diversity program aims to ensure we provide equitable opportunities and source goods and services from enterprises owned by women, people of color, veterans and service-disabled veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, and businesses owned by those who are socially or economically disadvantaged. WBA set a target to spend $625 million with diverse Tier 1 direct suppliers in the U.S. in fiscal 2022, a $125 million increase over fiscal 2021. We exceeded our target by $400,000 and supported more than 450 diverse suppliers. Outside of the U.S., we are expanding this work and launched a pilot Supplier Diversity program in Boots UK in fiscal 2022.
We continue to build leadership capabilities with interactive Inclusion in Action sessions across the business, which are now embedded into core leadership programs. In fiscal 2022, we launched the Walgreens Diverse Advocate Program, designed to strengthen diverse representation in the management-level talent pipeline through both mentoring and sponsorship. The initial cohorts included participants and their advocates from across the business, including support centers and the field.
Walgreens continued to work with community organizations and vocational, state, and local agencies to support two signature programs helping increase career opportunities for people with disabilities: Retail Employees with Disabilities Initiative (REDI) and the Transitional Work Group (TWG).
Through REDI, Walgreens provides people with disabilities a three- to six-week in-store training program. As part of the training, participants learn valuable retail and customer service skills, qualifying hundreds of potential employees for roles at our stores. By the end of fiscal 2022, close to 1,900 trainees enrolled in the program in more than 413 Walgreens stores across 38 states.
Walgreens also provides a 13-week training program as part of the TWG. During the program, job coaches use a combination of classroom work and on-the-job training to prepare participants to become temporary hires and eventually permanent team members at up to 11 Walgreens distribution centers or regional warehouses across the U.S.
As a global business with roles in pharmacy, retail, distribution, fulfillment and corporate operations, WBA can impact prosperity in communities worldwide by acting as an employer of choice. We care for the whole team member by meeting six fundamental needs.
As of fiscal 2022, more than 4,800 employees have joined at least one of our 24 business resource groups (BRGs) with chapters worldwide. We recently introduced three new groups: Environmental Sustainability, Valor UK and Women of WBA Chile, our first BRG in Latin America. We also increased cross-BRG collaboration and strategic planning for fiscal 2022 by facilitating a two-day BRG Summit for all members globally.
In fiscal year 2022, WBA took a significant step towards creating a healthy and inclusive workplace by becoming the first health and beauty business in the UK to receive Menopause Friendly Accreditation. The company introduced bespoke e-learning modules for employees and line managers to deepen understanding of menopause, partnered with Liz Earle Advisors to provide skincare training through the Skin School program and hosted Menopause Awareness Month events to raise awareness and destigmatize the topic. Additionally, we implemented a reimbursement initiative for team members experiencing menopause, showing our commitment to supporting our team members during this stage of life. By addressing menopause in the workplace, WBA is creating a more inclusive and understanding environment for all employees.
At WBA, we know that living a full, productive life depends on more than our physical health, and caring for our mental health is essential. We strive to foster a workplace where every team member is supported and celebrated for being their authentic self, is treated with dignity and respect, and has access to tools, resources and support for their well-being.
For Boots team members, the business created the Boots Well-Being Guide as a new tool for easier and centralized access to well-being offers, including a Lifeworks employee assistance provider. Over 50,000 guides were distributed, mostly to store and supply chain teams, to support individuals and managers with mental health resources.
Both Walgreens and Boots UK continued to put emphasis on building specialized expertise around mental health through expansion of Mental Health First Aid training. The Walgreens program, in partnership with the National Council for Behavioral Health and American Pharmacists Association (APhA), is a four-hour continuing education accredited course, which approximately 900 pharmacists have completed to date.
In fiscal 2022, Boots UK expanded the Mental Health First Aid training program to critical roles, including pharmacy support and supply chain management. The program also began its rollout in Boots Ireland. In addition, Boots provided Mental Health Awareness training to senior leaders across business functions.
Learning and development are key to supporting employee fulfillment and enabling the future of our business. To effectively live our purpose and leverage our talent network to reimagine healthcare, WBA focuses efforts on leadership development, store training and clinical preparation.
We extend training opportunities across our organization and in stores, support offices, and distribution centers. In fiscal 2022, both Walgreens and Boots UK collaborated with internal and external experts to develop a Digital IT Academy and Marketing Academy to provide team members with best-in-class learning tools to hone skills in highly competitive areas.
Walgreens University, which launched in 2013, continues to offer training, leadership development and career advancement programs to team members at all levels. During fiscal 2022, more than 4,200 team members participated in both in-person and live virtual sessions and more than $10 million in tuition discounts have been offered through partnered academic institutions.
Through its partnership with The Prince's Trust, Boots offers employability programs for a number of marginalized groups, including young people furthest from the job market, as well as current and formerly incarcerated individuals. Through a long-standing partnership with Sudbury Prison, Boots has given employment opportunities to 60 serving prisoners in our warehouse operation throughout fiscal 2022.
