Asda has announced it will offer any Ukrainian refugee arriving in the UK a guaranteed job interview and provide specialist support to those who are recruited.
The supermarket said it had 1,500 salaried and hourly-paid roles available in its stores, warehouses and within its sourcing and procurement arm IPL. It would welcome applications from Ukrainians fleeing the war-torn country, it added.
Asda has also confirmed that it will make a colleague discount card and access to wellbeing support services immediately available to any Ukrainian refugees joining the business, to help them establish themselves in the UK.
The supermarket is producing Ukrainian-language welcome packs to highlight the support available, and introducing badges for Ukrainian speaking colleagues to wear in stores to help customers from the country feel welcome.
Ukrainians wishing to apply for a job with Asda will need to tick a box confirming their nationality on the Asda job site. IPL applicants will also have to provide their nationality when they apply. Interviews will be guaranteed to candidates with the appropriate qualifications for roles, including warehouse operatives, retail staff, delivery drivers, pharmacists and optometrists.
Read more: Grocery’s ‘overwhelming’ response to the crisis in Ukraine
“We can’t imagine how difficult the last few weeks have been for those people who have been forced to abandon their homes and seek refuge abroad,” said Asda’s chief people officer, Hayley Tatum. “We want to support those Ukrainian refugees who come to the UK by helping them find employment as this will give them the stability and security needed to help build a new life for themselves.”
Asda is the latest in a number of supermarkets to offer jobs for Ukrainian refugees. Last week, Aldi said it had 8,000 store and distribution centre roles available, while Morrisons said it had contacted the Home Office about vacant positions. Iceland has said it would fast-track Ukranians from application to job offer in a depot within seven days.
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