Asda launches plan for staff to help out local communities

The programme, called “Give and Gain at Asda” will see colleagues across all levels, from senior executive to security guards, donate over 51,000 hours to volunteering in Leeds.

Asda said colleagues became inspired after seeing the success of the Asda Community Life initiative, which enabled colleagues to donate over 150,000 volunteering hours in 2013, the equivalent of 60 years.

The volunteering programme will be led and chosen by Asda’s partners, the Ahead Partnership and Voluntary Action Leeds, which will identify the skills Asda colleagues can offer charities and community groups across Leeds.

In order to ensure time is spent effectively, Asda said the partners will place colleagues in roles that suit their skills.

Hayley Tatum, Asda’s executive people director, said: “We’ve an enormous amount of talent across the Asda business and this is just one of the ways we can share our expertise and skills with local charities and community groups.

“I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in and this volunteering programme is something that makes me proud to work at Asda.”

Natasha Mort, from Voluntary Action Leeds, said: “Voluntary Action Leeds is delighted to be working with a company that already has a track record of giving to local communities.”

Ahead Partnership’s Sami Holmes said: “Ahead Partnership is delighted to have Asda supporting our education initiatives across Leeds, helping students develop their skills whilst developing their own too.

“Asda is a lead business in three of our school partnerships.”