Equality, equity, diversity and inclusion

Our approach to equality, equity, diversity and inclusion

Grafton has a Group wide equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion policy which is the foundation for all the individual business guidelines.

As a business we have a role to play when it comes to tackling inequality by ensuring that barriers to opportunity are removed and that people from all backgrounds can enjoy equitable access to career opportunities. We recognise that investing in diverse, inclusive, and socially conscious strategies will build stronger relationships with our communities, current customers and broaden our customer base.

We will continue to promote equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion across all areas of our business.

Read our equality, equity, diversity and inclusion policy

Our equality, equity, diversity and inclusion partnerships

Our leading international brands support a range of organisations that are focused on increasing equality, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Mental health first aid training

Grafton Group provides external training for UK and Irish colleagues who’d like to volunteer as a “Wellbeing Support Colleague.” The courses are internationally acclaimed and evidence-based, accredited training programs that empower and equip individuals with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to support a friend, family member or colleague experiencing a mental health problem or experiencing a crisis. Like physical first aid, the training course doesn't qualify the trainee to diagnose or provide professional support, but they can be a useful first point of contact if someone is worried about their mental health and wants to talk things through confidentially. Wellbeing Support Colleagues can signpost professional and other support services.

Top 100 Inclusive UK Employers Index 2024

Grafton Group plc is featured in the National Centre for Diversity’s Top 100 Inclusive UK Employers Index 2024, which recognises organisations that champion fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion, and engagement.

The rankings are based on employee feedback from organisations that work towards the National Centre for Diversity’s Investors in Diversity standard. Colleagues across Grafton Group and its UK-based brands Selco, Leyland SDM, TG Lynes, CPI EuroMix and StairBox, participated in the assessment.

Irish Wheelchair Association

Our Chadwicks business in Ireland partners with the Irish Wheelchair Association to supply a range of building materials to IWA community centres across the country to help improve accessibility for its users. In addition to providing construction materials, Chadwicks teams up with IWA to raise funds for its national support services which include accessible transport, community centres, driving assessments and lessons, and respite care.

Social Mobility Pledge

Grafton is proud to be a signatory to The Social Mobility Pledge, a coalition of over 700 businesses globally which encourages organisations to being a force for good by putting social mobility at the heart of their purpose.

This is achieved through outreach to schools and colleges, providing access to work experience and apprenticeship opportunities, recruitment policies and progression opportunities for colleagues from less privileged backgrounds.

The Valuable 500

Grafton is a member of the Valuable 500, the global business partnership of 500 companies working together to end disability exclusion.

British Safety Council's Being Well Together Programme

CPI is a member of the British Safety Council's Being Well Together Programme. This initiative helps organisations to look at all aspects of their colleagues' wellbeing, from health and safety to physical and mental wellbeing. The programme helps organisations to find where there are gaps and room for improvement.

Irish Centre for Diversity

Woodie’s is the first retailer and one of only eight organisations in Ireland to be accredited as a Gold Investor in Diversity by the Irish Centre for Diversity in recognition of its embedding of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across the organisation. The business has recently achieved gender balance and is now also reflective of national demographics on in Ireland ethnicity, age and LGBTQI+ status.

Chadwicks has achieved silver status in Diversity from Irish Centre for Diversity.

Barnardo’s Building Hope Academy

Leyland has partnered with Barnardo’s and its Building Hope Academy to offer six young people 30 hours of work experience at its Streatham and Dulwich stores.

The Building Hope Academy is for young people aged between 16 and 24 with an Educational Health Care Plan, who are not in education, employment or training. Leyland has also provided around £6,000 worth of products for teenagers to use during their Construction Skills training.

Employee assistance programmes

We offer colleague assistance and support when dealing with personal or work-related problems that might affect their job performance, health, and wellbeing. This benefit provides confidential support and counselling services to our colleagues via external employee assistance programme providers.

Elephant In The Room Movement

Chadwicks Group is a member of the Elephant In The Room Movement, which aims to destigmatise mental health conversations. The movement seeks to give people everywhere permission to talk about their mental health as openly as they would discuss a physical ailment, without judgement or discrimination, for the better wellbeing of the individual, family, workplace, and society.

The KeepWell Mark

Woodie’s has been accredited with The KeepWell Mark, Ibec’s workplace wellbeing accreditation, reinforcing its commitment to investing in its most valuable asset – its people.

The KeepWell Mark is an evidence-based accreditation that acknowledges Irish employers who prioritise workplace wellbeing. It provides a structured framework to help businesses benchmark and improve their wellbeing initiatives, ensuring a comprehensive approach to employee health and safety. Ibec, Ireland's largest business representative organisation, influences government policies, provides professional services, and supports businesses across various sectors to improve operations and employee wellbeing.

Colleague health and wellbeing

At Grafton, we believe that positively managing colleague health and wellbeing underpins colleague engagement and is to the benefit of our business and all our stakeholders. It is important that we all show care and respect for each other, support work-life balance and that our businesses provide the tools and resources to support our colleagues.

We believe in supporting the physical, social, emotional and financial aspects of our colleagues’ wellbeing. Our Wellness at Work Policy outlines our strategy and provides a baseline standard across all our businesses.

We provide health benefits and sick pay to ensure our colleagues stay fit and are supported during times of ill health. We also offer colleague assistance to support colleagues dealing with personal or work-related problems that might affect their job performance, health, and wellbeing. This benefit provides confidential support and counselling services to our colleagues.

We ensure a safe and pleasant work environment, provide mandatory health and safety and job-specific training, and offer work breaks and holidays, along with free hot and cold refreshments. We offer communal spaces, recognise key life events, and support paid volunteer days and locally approved charities.

We encourage all our businesses to view wellness through a diversity, equality and inclusion lens to ensure we are being equitable and fair with support that can affect colleagues’ health and financial outcomes.

We are committed to encouraging a culture of openness on mental health. Our CEO Mental Wellbeing Statement sets out our leadership approach to colleague wellbeing which underpins colleague engagement and is to the benefit of our business and all our stakeholders. It is important that we all show care and respect for each other, support work-life balance and that our businesses provide the tools and resources to support our colleagues.

Read our CEO Wellbeing Statement Read our Wellness at Work Policy