Asda is set to expand its innovative school engagement programme that partners colleagues with schoolchildren to tackle food waste, improve packaging, and enhance sustainability. Initially piloted in about 20 West Yorkshire schools from October 2024, the programme will now include nearly 50 schools, engaging over 500 primary, secondary, and college students during the 2025-26 academic year. Through these efforts, Asda aims to uncover “hidden” careers in retail and help young people build crucial employability and problem-solving skills.

The programme is structured into three age-specific streams. The Asda Heroes initiative involves 200 children from years three to six working with Asda’s community champions on virtual projects that focus on reducing food waste. For older students, the Asda Futures programme engages more than 150 pupils in designing sustainable product ranges tailored for different events. This track not only introduces students to lesser-known careers within Asda but also develops key skills such as confidence, teamwork, and public speaking. Meanwhile, the Asda Leaders stream invites 14 teams from years 10 and 12 to study Asda’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report, challenge real business sustainability issues, and pitch their solutions in a Dragons’ Den-style format to Asda colleagues.

In addition to virtual activities, local pupils will be hosted at Asda House in Leeds for in-person mentoring, mock assessments, and public-speaking practice. The programme seeks not only to educate on sustainability challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but also to highlight the diverse career opportunities across Asda’s operations, aiming to inspire students to consider retail as a viable and impactful career path.

Asda’s head of learning, Emma Brough, expressed pride in the programme's growth after its successful pilot. She emphasised how connecting students to real-world challenges fosters creativity, confidence, and a sense of purpose, equipping the next generation with vital skills for their futures. Feedback from the pilot schools was overwhelmingly positive, with many reporting increased student engagement, confidence, and awareness of the sustainability agenda and career options in retail.

This initiative complements Asda’s broader commitment to sustainability and education, dovetailing with its Cashpot for Schools fundraising campaign launched earlier in 2024. The supermarket’s ESG strategy focuses on areas with significant impact, including promoting affordable and sustainable customer choices, advancing a resilient value chain, reducing carbon emissions, conserving nature, and achieving zero waste. By integrating educational programmes with its sustainability goals, Asda is positioning itself as a leader in nurturing future talent with a strong environmental and social conscience.

Asda’s school engagement programme also fits within its wider efforts to cultivate future talent through career fairs, mock interviews, and personal development sessions across local schools and colleges. These activities align with recognised standards such as the Gatsby Benchmarks, aiming to provide young people with the exposure and skills needed to become confident and career-ready.

Through this comprehensive and multi-tiered approach, Asda is not only addressing pressing global issues like food waste and packaging pollution but also fostering community engagement and inclusivity. The retailer is encouraging participation from students from disadvantaged backgrounds, ensuring wider access to these opportunities and helping bridge gaps in employment readiness.

Asda’s expansion of this educational programme highlights the company's dual commitment to sustainability and youth development, demonstrating how corporate initiatives can make a meaningful contribution to both environmental stewardship and social impact in local communities.