Diversity and Inclusion
At The Warehouse Group we are committed to providing a work environment where
every team member can bring their whole self to work. We recognise and value different skills,
ability and experiences and where people are treated fairly in order to attract
and retain talented people who will contribute to the achievement of
TWG’s corporate objectives.
Our initiatives
Cultural education
We work with Precious Clark, MD of Maurea Consulting, to
train our leadership team in immersive courses covering te reo Māori, Māori
history and how to incorporate more te reo Māori into their day-to-day lives.
Precious also supports us as a sounding board for our internal and external
events relating to Māori culture, ensuring that our tone, actions and
intentions are culturally appropriate.
LGBTIQ+ inclusion and support
We recognise that the best business outcomes start with a
team that feels engaged, welcomed and free to bring their whole selves to work.
We’ve long been a supporter of the LGBTIQ community, and with our Rainbow Tick
certification, we are formally recognised as such.
Every year we play a role in Pride events to show our
support to the LGBTIQ+ community in our organisation and beyond through
sponsorship of Big Gay Out and Pride Parades in Wellington and Auckland.
We were one of the first major organisation in New Zealand
to have a formal gender transition policy, and we work to support our team
choosing to undergo the transition by developing a personalised plan to ensure
they feel supported and heard throughout the process. All team members are able
to use the name and gender of choice and can alter this themselves via our
payroll system.
Breastfeeding policy
We care about ensuring all of our customers, including
parents and carers, feel comfortable within our stores. We want all mothers to
know that they’re welcome to breastfeed in The Warehouse stores, and all
parents and carers are invited to utilise our changing rooms to take care of
the needs of their young ones.
Diversity & Inclusion Communities
We believe
Diversity & Inclusion Communities have a key role to play in helping
formulate and implement TWG’s D&I strategy. Each D&I Community has the
best insights and experience to guide how we can ensure that people feel
comfortable bringing their whole self to work and that TWG embraces any and all
differences.
Learning and development
Our internal Learning & Development platform is the
first stop for our team members looking to expand their knowledge and sharpen
their skills. From courses on management development to mental health,
wellbeing and inclusion, our team has a library of developmental courses to
choose from for free training.
We are proud that our new onboarding programme offers a pōwhiri
(welcome) in te reo and also integrates bilingual information whilst sharing
knowledge. Additionally, we are continuing to build on incorporating te reo as
a standard practice within all our learning programmes.
Accessibility
We believe a diverse, inclusive and accessible workplace brings
out the best in our people. That’s why we’re committed to creating an
environment where all team members feel safe and confident to bring their whole
selves to work. With
approximately one in four New Zealanders limited by a physical, sensory or
learning disability, mental health or other challenges, this touches all
aspects of our business.
We've recently partnered with Access Advisors, a pan-disability provider whose purpose is to support businesses to make their workplaces more
accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities, whether they are team
members or customers. We have been working with Access Advisors to achieve the
Accessibility Tick, solidifying our commitment to this journey.
Stay tuned for more information on our work in the accessibility space.
Our cultural celebrations
Throughout
the year we host internal events for our team members around our stores, our
distribution centres and our Store Support Office. With 13,000 team members
around the country, we feel we have a duty to not only celebrate the various
cultures and ethnicities that encompass our organisation but to educate others
as well.