The Retail Trust’s fifth annual Leaders’ Summit brought retail people leaders together for an impactful one-day programme that will help to shape your wellbeing and engagement strategies in 2025.

Attendees joined us for a series of compelling content sessions and networking covering key issues critical to the future success of retail as we:

• Explored the trends impacting workplace wellbeing

• Discussed new ways of driving engagement

• Developed strategies for measurable change in retail workplace happiness

• Inspired attendees through emotive content delving into mental health issues.

Agenda

9.45 Registration and breakfast

10.25 Welcome by Chris Brook-Carter

10.40 Keynote: happy economics

The power of happiness metrics and how to get board buy-in.

Lord Mark Price, founder and CEO, WorkL, in conversation with Chris Brook-Carter, CEO, Retail Trust.

11.05 Presenteeism: there in body, but not in mind?

Estimated to cost UK business £50 billion a year, and with a recent report suggesting that nearly half of presenteeism in the workplace is due to poor mental health, what can UK retailers do to address this growing issue? From workload to culture, this workshop session will discuss how to tackle presenteeism in your workforce – and why it’s key to business success.

Panel and workshop session

Speakers:

Chair: Emily Trant, chief impact officer, Wagestream

Katherine Davis, chief retail officer, Matalan

Luci Vardy, global retail director, Reiss

Poppie Foakes, product and innovation director, Retail Trust

11.50 Break

12.10 How to equip our people against the ‘biggest challenge the industry faces’

Abuse should never be a part of someone’s job. Join the Retail Trust’s respect retail campaign and stand together to support retail colleagues.

Speakers:

Nathan Peacey, partner, Foot Anstey

Chris Brook-Carter, CEO, Retail Trust

Helen Dickinson, CEO, BRC

Andrea Woodside, wellbeing training lead, Retail Trust

12.45 How to build a culture of belonging and resilience

Your culture is and always will be your biggest determinant of success yet for many it’s still seen as something that is ‘too hard’ to address. In this 20-minute power talk Colin D Ellis will tell us how to proactively build a workplace that people feel connected to and that remains strong during times of stress. He will outline the two driving elements of culture, the five cultures that are evident day-to-day and a tool to help you to identify the kind of culture you have now and the actions required to address it. It’s not to be missed!

Power session

Speaker:

Colin D Ellis

13.05 Lunch

14.15 Retail therapy 2.0: healing your business from the inside out

We’ve all heard of retail therapy for customers, but what about for those who power the retail industry itself? This paradigm-shifting session from Samantha Clarke flips the script on traditional notions of workplace wellness. Discover how treating your organisation’s happiness deficit can be the most powerful prescription for boosting performance, reducing turnover, and creating unshakeable employer brand loyalty. Learn strategies to diagnose joy blockers, administer daily doses of workplace satisfaction, and transform your team into ambassadors of happiness who spread their enthusiasm to customers.

Power session

Speaker:

Samantha Clarke

14.35 Generational thinking: is an intergenerational workforce the key to success?

With four generations now making up the UK workforce, retailers are starting to consider if they need new generational-focused strategies in place to better support colleague wellbeing and to get the most out of their teams. This session will explore the benefits of multigenerational teams, the different approaches to workplace wellbeing and how an age diverse strategy could work at your organisation.

Panel and workshop session

Speakers:

Chair: Miranda Eason, digital content editor, Retail Trust

Rebecca Robins, founder and CEO, advisor Quilt.Ai and bestselling author

Lyndsey Simpson, founder and CEO, 55/Redefined

Shola West, content creator and Gen Z marketing specialist

15.25 When life throws you a curveball

Join our special guest speaker, Sarah Beeny, as we discuss the emotional and physical rollercoaster of cancer diagnosis and treatment – and how to support others through it.

In the UK around 40% of people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, with more than 350,000 of new cancer cases in the UK every year. It’s also estimated that 700,000 people in the UK are currently juggling work and caring for someone with cancer. Employers can play an incredibly important role in supporting people with cancer and their carers. Here, drawing on personal experience, we explore what good support looks like and how we can help friends, colleagues and family members through diagnosis, treatment and beyond.

Speakers:

Sarah Beeny, entrepreneur and TV presenter

Claire Askew, head of content, Retail Trust

16.00 Close