Loblaw Wins Top 100 Employer Awards for Sixth Consecutive Year

BRAMPTON, ON, Jan. 7, 2015 /CNW/ - For more than half a decade, Loblaw Companies Limited has been recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers and one of the Greater Toronto Area's Top 100 Employers. The recent announcement of the Greater Toronto Area's Top 100 Employers marks the sixth consecutive year that the organization earned both awards.

"It's an honour to once again be recognized as one of the nation's top 100 employers," said Mary-Alice Vuicic, Executive Vice-President, Human Resources and Labour Relations, Loblaw Companies Limited. "These awards show that we are consistently one of the best workplaces in Canada."

The organization scored the highest possible rank on five of eight categories including community involvement, physical workplace, training and skills development, financial benefits and compensation, and work atmosphere and communications.

At Loblaw's head office located in Brampton, Ontario the organization's passion for food is clearly visible through the windows of the President's Choice® test kitchen where new control-brand recipes are developed. Colleagues from across the business have a unique opportunity to participate in focus groups that test products and provide suggestions to improve the PC® line. Outside the building an extensive herb garden supplies the location's market-style cafeteria which offers a range of meals prepared on demand.

As Canada's largest private-sector employer, with more than 190,000 colleagues, the organization seeks to reflect the nation's diversity through initiatives like the Loblaw Inclusion Council. A key factor in the organization's recent accolades, the Council reports directly to President Galen G. Weston on the advancement of inclusion strategies in the workplace.

Loblaw stores make a difference in their local communities. Since 2008, colleagues helped raise 8.5 million dollars and 8.9 million pounds of food for local food banks and the organization provided more than 6 million dollars for environmental initiatives across Canada in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund. In the last year alone, President's Choice® Children's Charity provided more than 2.5 million meals to 430,000 children through its partnerships with Breakfast for Learning and Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. Thanks to the generous support of colleagues and customers, the organization also granted nearly 10 million dollars' worth of adapted equipment and support for children with disabilities.

About Loblaw Companies Limited
Loblaw Companies Limited is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, the nation's largest retailer, and the majority unit holder of Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, banking, and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,300 corporate, franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees, and Associate-owners employ approximately 192,000 full and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers.

Loblaw's purpose – Live Life Well – puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the companies' stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,050 grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies at more than 1,250 Shoppers Drug Mart® and Pharmaprix® locations and more than 500 Loblaw locations; PC Financial® no-fee banking; affordable Joe Fresh® fashion and family apparel; and three of Canada's top consumer brands in Life Brand®, no name® and President's Choice®. Through the PC Plus™ and Shoppers Optimum® loyalty programs, more than one in every three Canadians are rewarded for shopping with the companies.

SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited

Related Links

www.presidentschoice.ca