Inspiring JEDI Initiatives: Retailers Driving Real Change
With rising social consciousness and changing consumer expectations, retailers are rethinking what they can do to build fairer, more inclusive workplaces and communities.
In the past few years, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) has become far more than just a corporate buzzword. It has become a guiding framework for retailers, as trusted companies are increasingly judged by how they do business, hire and engage with their communities.
As customers’ needs change, retailers are being pushed to make their workplaces and supply chains more fair and accountable, following the true principles of inclusion and accountability.
Amid the UK high street crisis, forward-thinking retail brands are demonstrating that JEDI in retail isn’t just good practice; it’s big business too. These initiatives, bolstered by responsible talent sourcing, actionable plans, and partnerships that promote social justice, serve as inspiring examples of how retail can be a catalyst for positive change.
In this blog, we investigate how the vanguard of retailers are employing JEDI in retail, what going from DEI to a justice-based strategy looks like, and how organisations are concretely making progress throughout the industry.
From DEI to JEDI: the Shift Toward Justice and Equity
The move from DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) to JEDI is one sign of an industry-wide realisation that ensuring fairness in retail isn’t just about representation; it’s also about addressing the systemic inequalities embedded within the retail sector.
While DEI in retail has broadly focused on diversity development and fostering inclusive work environments, JEDI adds a third, critical dimension: justice. This dimension aims to tackle structural inequalities.
JEDI principles not only incorporate diverse voices in policy but also dismantle barriers that create inequities, strengthening the foundation of equity and inclusion DEI efforts. Justice encompasses fair pay, supplier diversity, access, and ensuring equal opportunities for all employees as part of building a diverse workforce.
The Business Case for JEDI
In a PwC study of diversity and inclusion in retail, 78% of retail leaders said their company’s DEI initiatives were essential to long-term competitiveness, but less than half said they have strategies to address structural inequities, the type of inequities that the JEDI is intended to fix.
The shift also has to do with new consumer demands, as customers increasingly look for businesses with ethical standards and corporate certification to validate their commitments. 76% of consumers say they are more likely to support companies with a strong stance on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, according to research from B Lab. The JEDI in retail movement is a response to this tide, and it embeds fairness and accountability into all aspects of business, from hiring to product design.
Retailers Leading the Way: Real-World Examples of JEDI Initiatives
Across the industry, many retailers are turning JEDI aspirations into reality. The People in Retail Awards highlight inspiring ways people and companies can lead inclusively, be commercial, and make a real difference.
Let’s take a look at some real-world examples of JEDI initiatives:
American Golf: The game changers
Winner of the Executive Leader of the Year at the 2024 People in Retail Awards, American Golf, led by CEO Nigel Oddy, has made significant strides in promoting diversity and inclusivity both on the golf course and in retail settings.
In 2025, the company further cemented its leadership in this area by winning the People in Retail Awards JEDI Award, recognising its ongoing commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion across the organisation.
Through its “Game Changers” initiative, American Golf is attempting to expand access to golf for underrepresented groups, including women, young people, and those with disabilities. By working with charities and communities, American Golf has established inclusive academies for training and mentorship to get the sport into the open.
Such programmes have resulted in concrete outcomes, such as increased participation and interaction within the community and with staff. And it gives an illustration of the way in which justice and equity innovation, loyalty and growth can be incubated.
The Lincolnshire Co-op Ltd/Carlton food stores team, Selby: Community-led equity in action
Lincolnshire Co-op Ltd, Carlton Food Stores Team, Selby, winner of the Team of the Year award at the 2024 People in Retail Awards, is a prime example of community enterprise. The Co-op promotes equality through its equal pay, gender balance, and community empowerment policies, as supported by its gender pay and annual report.
Inclusion is woven throughout Lincolnshire Co-op’s wider policy, which includes annual equity reviews and having gender pay reporting and attracting equality-focused recruitment partnerships with groups such as Jobs 22 (employment access for underserved populations) and Speakers for Schools (career pathway inclusion initiatives). These initiatives drive transparency and shared learning, leading to a culture of accountability that mirrors the values of equity and inclusion in retail.
In 2025, Andrew Blake (Bob) of Lincolnshire Co-op was highly commended in the Employee of the Year Award category at the People in Retail Awards, further demonstrating the organisation’s dedication to recognising and celebrating the people who make its inclusive culture thrive.
The response from Co-op shows what the principles of community engagement in retail can look like when it comes to making a meaningful social and human difference.
Boots & No7 (Walgreens Boots Alliance): A global JEDI leader
As an ethical leader, the company has embedded JEDI principles in all areas of its work. The business, which won the 2024 JEDI Award at the People in Retail Awards, has worked to ensure that fairness and inclusion are woven into its operations.
Its equity blueprint promises that the company will operate in a fair and just manner when it comes to decisions about product design, leadership, and supply chains. Boots & No7’s commitment is to diverse representation, inclusive product innovation, and equity in career advancement, where justice and fairness are both part of the consumer journey.
Transparency and measurable progress are central to its methodology, as public reporting and accountability enable trust between teams, partners and customers. These JEDI tactics have placed Boots & No7 among the most recognisable retail brands from a trust and socially responsible perspective.
Marks & Spencer: Inclusive by design
Marks & Spencer’s comprehensive website redesign demonstrates how JEDI principles can be embedded into the very fabric of business operations, extending equity beyond the workplace and into the customer experience itself.
By prioritising accessibility as a core focus of their digital transformation, M&S ensured that millions of customers, including those with disabilities, could navigate their platform with ease and dignity. The project went beyond surface-level improvements, tackling systemic barriers in the digital experience through enhanced screen reader compatibility, improved keyboard navigation, and clearer page transitions.
With the redesigned checkout journey projected to generate over £20 million in additional revenue annually, M&S exemplifies how justice and equity in design, ensuring equal access for all customers regardless of ability, drives both social impact and commercial success
IKEA: Embedding JEDI across borders
The global Equality Plan of Action in IKEA is a promise to embed JEDI in everything that they do, everywhere, from leadership to hiring practices. With an emphasis on gender identity, fair hiring practices, and diversity at the leadership level, the retailer now counts on representation at all levels of its organisation.
By factoring in justice and fairness to its decision-making, IKEA is investing in a business culture where everyone feels welcome, something that appeals to consumers and employees. This approach forms a key part of its community engagement strategy in retail, ensuring that inclusion and equality extend beyond the workplace into the wider communities it serves.
People in Retail Awards named IKEA’s Laura Vicente Cerqueira as Manager of the Year 2024, providing an example to other businesses of what a modern JEDI strategy with clear objectives and accountability looks like.
Why JEDI matters for retail business success
So what does JEDI look like in the workplace, and why does it matter so much in retail?
JEDI, at its core, builds spaces where fairness, opportunity and a sense of belonging are valued across the retail workforce:
- Justice ensures accountability.
- Equity promotes access.
- Diversity fuels innovation.
- Inclusion builds resilience.
All of these are the cornerstones of business success.
Research from Retail Dive has found that organisations with robust DEI or JEDI efforts see financial returns up to 35% higher than those without. It’s not just about the bottom line; the JEDI framework enhances brand image, drives employee engagement, and promotes innovation in retail by providing diverse viewpoints.
In retail, where customer experience and employee happiness are intimately connected, these things matter. Inclusive hiring processes, clear pay structures and programmes such as corporate volunteering in retail can lead to better teams and more genuine brand narratives.
Modern employees, especially Gen Z, expect more. A Deloitte report found that 60% of younger consumers and job applicants deliberately seek out shops which have strong ethical and inclusive company culture. Adopting JEDI is both about retailers’ ability to attract a wide range of talent and their ability to create customer loyalty for the long term.
Final thoughts
JEDI in business isn’t just a human resources measure; it’s an advantage that is strategic. The worldwide retail industry demonstrates that businesses can achieve both social responsibility and financial success at the same time. The development has established a more equal playing field between employees, customers and communities.
Retailers have the power to feed back into this culture with fair acknowledgement and DEI programmes, like innovative retail employee rewards, which promote inclusivity, teamwork, and the growth of diverse teams.
Does your company recruit and develop justice, equity, diversity and inclusion throughout retail? If your answer is yes, then your work needs to receive proper recognition.
The JEDI Awards honour the retailers that are at the forefront of this crucial movement, recognising those who are genuinely effecting positive change throughout the sector.
Submit your application for the JEDI Awards and gain the acknowledgement your work has earned. Demonstrate your dedication to shaping a more inclusive retail landscape.
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