Why It Matters
Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is fuelled by our purpose and values. It shapes our culture and drives business success. As a family nurturing families, we embed it into everything we do. We believe fairness is foundational in driving real meaningful change. We know that it takes open minds and respect for distinct perspectives to build teams that truly represent the customers we serve and the communities we operate in.
Fiscal 2025 Performance Highlight
75% positive response rate in Employee Engagement Survey on culture of inclusion
Completed verification for the Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations
38% representation of women at the senior leadership level
Our Approach
At Empire, we focus on DE&I as an integral part of how we do business. We aim to create a workplace that’s welcoming for everyone, enhancing customer experiences and contributing to better communities.
Renewing Our DE&I Strategy
Embracing DE&I helps us be more innovative and competitive by better understanding our customers and teammates. It helps us attract and retain great talent, which is critical to moving the business forward. And it helps us live our purpose—to be a family nurturing families.
Our strategy is focused on:
- 1.
Building a better workplace by being inclusive of our diverse mix of teammates and embracing all perspectives.
- 2.
Creating better customer experiences by understanding and being inclusive of the diverse needs and preferences of customers.
- 3.
Contributing to better communities for everyone by supporting marginalized groups through community investment, sustainability and the important role stores play in their communities from coast to coast.
In fiscal 2025, we focused on embedding DE&I into our business priorities, creating greater accountability measures, listening to marginalized teammates, co-creating action plans and expanding key performance indicators. We improved data transparency by improving how we track and communicate progress across the organization. We also advanced our commitment to Indigenous relations, continuing to make progress through the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business certification process.
Fostering Better Workplaces
This past year, we continued to nurture a Speak Freely environment throughout the company to advance a culture of inclusion with teammates. This included offering training and resources to build greater inclusive engagement capabilities, while leaders at all levels created customized actions to engage their teams. Listening to and learning from marginalized teammates remains a key area of focus, as does strengthening the success of the Women’s Inclusion Network. This year, we also worked with teammates to co-develop action plans to address inclusivity barriers and created a program for people leaders on valuing cultural differences.
Ongoing Diversity of Teams Initiative
Attracting, growing and retaining a diverse workforce continues to be a key priority to ensure our business is reflective of Canada’s communities. Our approach continues to focus on enhancing diversity at the team level to improve overall performance and to build a strong and diverse workforce succession pipeline for the future. This initiative has been supported by new hiring and selection practices, immigration supports and strategic partnerships to attract a broad and diverse range of talent. We continue to advance strategic community partnerships across Canada to highlight opportunities for prospective teammates, including by working with organizations such as BlackNorth Initiative, Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC), JVS Toronto, the Onyx Initiative, Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), Community Futures Treaty 7 and Pictou Landing First Nation. We have also equipped store managers with more information about diversity in our teams and communities, enabling them to evaluate how well stores reflect the communities we serve and to create meaningful action plans.
Implementing Supportive Policies
We hold each person in our company accountable for affirming their commitment to act with respect and integrity through these policies and in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. We also operate a comprehensive Open Doors program, which empowers teammates to report workplace concerns related to inclusion. We aim to enhance our approach to Indigenous relations and improve representation of diverse-owned businesses in our supply chain.
Focusing on Equitable Rewards
We are committed to pay equity for all teammates, regardless of gender, ethnicity or employment type. We conduct gender-based compensation analyses as part of our annual salary review process, reviewing pay differences to consider legitimate factors such as position level, experience, tenure and contribution to role to address pay disparities. In addition, we complete gender pay equity analyses and post results in compliance with provincial pay equity legislation. Where required by provincial legislation, we have implemented pay equity plans. We have implemented a company-wide job evaluation system and merit-based salary structure, providing the same compensation levels to women and men in positions of equal value. Since 2021 we have also carried out an annual analysis of performance ratings and merit-based salary increases granted to women versus men. Wages for frontline retail and warehouse teammates are progressing based on hours worked, ensuring equal treatment for women and men.
In fiscal 2025, we continued to ensure that teammate salaries were market-competitive and equitable considering experience, skills and contribution of the individuals. Although this initiative focused on increasing overall internal equity, rather than gender pay equity, the objective and data-driven approach used was instrumental in achieving gender pay equity.
Better Customer Experiences and Supplier Relationships
We aim to create an inclusive customer experience that reflects diverse customer needs through the continued expansion of our multicultural offering. Our Supplier Diversity Strategy builds on the success of our Local Development Program to support new supplier relationships. This effort helps to ensure that vendors are aligned with our goal to support diverse-owned businesses and that we reflect the communities we serve. Read more in Supplier Collaboration.
Advancing Reconciliation Through Stronger Partnerships
We continue to strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities and to advance organization-wide reconciliation efforts through leadership actions, employment, business development and community relations.
In fiscal 2025, we completed the third and final phase of verification for the Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) with the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB). Our Commitment Statement to Indigenous Peoples Across Canada advances and reinforces the rights and needs of Indigenous people in our communities and workplaces. Through this process, CCIB affirms we are good business partners, a good employer for Indigenous peoples and committed to prosperity in Indigenous communities. We reinforce this commitment through our pledge to direct 10% of community donations towards Indigenous communities.
Highlights
Mi’kmaw Language Program
Increasing the visibility of one of Nova Scotia’s first languages in our stores is one meaningful way we partner with Pictou Landing First Nation. Celebrating Mi’kmaw language with customers and teammates was launched at our Westside store in New Glasgow, N.S. Colourful signage and scannable QR codes share the Mi’kmaw word and pronunciation of 15 foods chosen by members of Pictou Landing First Nation based on cultural significance, including pie’skman (corn), samqwan (water) and wisawipuneksit (carrot).
Continued Focus on Listening and Learning
In fiscal 2025, we expanded our Inclusion Activator network to more than 215 teammates. We also held a series of listening and sharing sessions that create a safe space for teammates who identify with marginalized communities to discuss any barriers they face and any ideas for change. Based on that input, a new “Allies” listening and sharing session was introduced to deepen understanding and commitment to active allyship throughout the company. These sessions inform us as we develop new supporting programs and resources.
Rainbow Registered Accreditation
An example of our continued support for 2SLGBTQIA+ teammates, in 2025 we achieved Rainbow Registered Accreditation in our three Atlantic region offices. This program, offered through Canada’s 2SLGBTQIA+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC), recognizes businesses that have met a stringent set of standards to ensure 2SLGBTQIA+ customers, visitors and staff feel safe, welcomed and accepted.
Champions
“Since joining the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the significant strides we’ve made to advance equity, inclusion and fairness. This progress is driven by unwavering executive support, a dedicated council and countless passionate individuals. Building on a deep-rooted legacy of community engagement, our DE&I efforts reflect the core values at the heart of our organization. Together, we are strengthening our ability to serve Canadians in all their diversity—from coast to coast.”
Yves Bélanger, SVP Supply Chain, Sobeys Inc.
Learn More
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