Feel like
you belong

Why B&Q  >   Belonging

We believe in creating an environment where our people are able to grow, thrive, and truly be themselves. We respect and celebrate differences. That’s what makes us stronger. We believe all our people should feel included and comfortable working here. And we do everything we can to make sure they do. 

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Inclusive
recruitment

We ensure that everyone is treated equally regardless of age, gender, marital or civil partnership status, colour, ethnic or national origin, culture, religious belief, philosophical belief, political opinion, disability, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation. If you require any additional support with your application, please contact

recruitment@b-and-q.co.uk

Wellbeing support

We care for our people and offer a range of tools and programmes to take care of their wellbeing – such as our partnerships with The RetailTRUST and Shelter, plus links with the Samaritans and Mind. Alongside offering support with financial worries and flexible working options, we’ve created Yammer groups, e-learning modules and weekly wellness articles to encourage colleagues to understand their own wellness and that of their colleagues.

Inclusive Leadership workshops

Following our culture review with Green Park, we’ve delivered a programme of Inclusive Leadership workshops to provide our top 500 leaders with a common understanding of inclusion, and to equip them with the skills and understanding they need to help make B&Q a place where everyone feels they belong.

Level 2 disability confident employer

Kingfisher partner with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Business Disability Forum (BDF). They help us to provide facilities, work environment adjustments and tech solutions to make our business an inclusive place for all.

Learn more about what it means to be a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer on the DWP website.

Our national people's forum

Our people's forum is a group of elected colleagues from across all areas of B&Q. They regularly meet with the Board and senior stakeholders to represent the ideas and opinions of fellow colleagues. 

Unstereotype Alliance

We’ve partnered with The Unstereotype Alliance, a thought and action platform that seeks to eradicate harmful gender-based stereotypes in all media and advertising content. Convened by UN Women, the United Nations entity for Gender Equality, the Unstereotype Alliance brings together partners and seeks to collectively use the advertising industry as a force for good to drive positive change all over the world. 

 

Our partnership with Stonewall

Stonewall are the UK’s leading LGBT rights charity. In 2018, we became a Stonewall Diversity Champion, and the following year we were awarded our first Rainbow Honours Award (runners up) for ‘Start-up LGBTQ Network of the Year’.

Support for ex-forces

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation, ensuring that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces are treated fairly. We do all we can to support ex-armed forces individuals in developing their careers and wellbeing in our workplace.

Green Park Culture Review

Throughout 2020 we completed a project to really understand our culture. Working with Green Park, an independent consultancy firm who specialise in Diversity, Inclusion and Culture, we completed hundreds of colleague interviews and listening groups to find out what it’s really like to work at B&Q. Throughout 2021, we’re working on our first ever Diversity and Inclusion strategic plan to put the culture review recommendations into action.

RetailTRUST workshops and MHFA

We’re working with The RetailTRUST to deliver a series of live workshops for colleagues across B&Q to help them better understand how to support each other’s mental health and wellbeing. Plus we’re trialling a training course to teach a select group of colleagues vital skills in mental health first aid.

BRC D&I pledge

In March 2021 we signed the British Retail Consortium’s Diversity & Inclusion Charter. Alongside the other signatories, we pledged to play our part in driving positive change within the wider retail sector, as well as within our own business.  

The Valuable 500

The Valuable 500 is a global movement which is working to get 500 of the world’s largest businesses to commit to placing disability inclusion on their business leadership agendas. B&Q joined The Valuable 500 in September 2020.

Sunflower Lanyard Scheme

Whether they need a little more time or assistance, a sunflower lanyard is a discreet way our customers can let us know if they have a hidden disability and would like a bit of extra help while shopping.