People
Key actions
- Listening and acting – We believe that colleagues bring their best to work when they feel heard, valued and supported, driving customer satisfaction and operational excellence. Therefore, engagement is a management priority. Our approach is enabled by HR and corporate communications through tools, frameworks and guidance, while employees’ voices are gathered via surveys, listening sessions, daily dialogue, Works Councils and the Speak-Up platform. Motivated and stable teams strengthen capabilities, reduce turnover and support the sustainable growth of our value retail model.
- Fairness, equity and belonging – Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) framework focuses on fostering inclusive culture, building fair systems and growing diversity through awareness and development. We are strengthening grievance procedures, analysing pay equity, updating recruitment practices and embedding DEI learning at all levels.
- Leaders for today and tomorrow – We invest in tailored leadership programmes for store, office and senior leaders, aligned with our values and leadership principles. Internal mobility is supported through clear career paths and cross- functional development opportunities.
- Strong pipelines, stronger futures – We prioritise internal promotions in operations and build flexible pathways in head office, preparing colleagues for future roles and ensuring business resilience.
Our ambition
In FY25, we made significant changes to our management structures to simplify governance, strengthen accountability, and reflect the evolving scope of our business. As a result, the composition of our top leadership has evolved, achieving greater gender balance across senior levels and surpassing our gender diversity goal, with women now representing 50% of our top leadership (CEO, CEO-1, and CEO-2 levels*).
The 70% internal promotion target, introduced in FY25, aims to strengthen internal mobility and career progression across operations – specifically for Store Manager and Shift Leader promotions. The current 52% share serves as the baseline from which future progress will be measured.
We continue to strengthen employee voice through accessible feedback and dialogue channels. Our next bi-annual employee survey will take place next year, providing an important platform to inform our ongoing engagement strategy.
Pepcoolture Masters Program – Celebrating values, driving engagement
Now in its third year, the Pepcoolture Masters Program is Pepco’s flagship employee recognition initiative, celebrating individuals who embody the company’s values in their daily work. Designed to strengthen culture and unity across 18 countries and Pepco Global Sourcing (PGS), the program aims to turn values into visible action. It fosters appreciation and peer recognition, encourages cross-team collaboration, and plays a key role in boosting employee engagement, motivation, and retention.
The 2025 Pepcoolture Masters Program launched with a 9-week campaign promoting peer recognition and sharing stories of values in action. It received over 1,500 nominations—a 25% increase from the previous year—showing growing cultural engagement. The program recognized 34 local winners and 100 standout nominators, culminating in a global event where 8 were named Global Pepcoolture Masters.
Recognized employees reported higher motivation, while nominators felt more valued. The initiative has been linked to stronger trust, wellbeing, and retention, and continues to unify Pepco’s culture and values across all countries, reinforcing its global Employee Value Proposition.