Superstar programmes for a superstar retailer – Iceland and SCL Professional – Doing It Right.

New retail development programmes tailor-made for Iceland colleagues launched this month across the UK in around 1,000 stores.

SCL Professional working to support Iceland’s award-winning culture and ‘happy staff, happy customers’ experience-led people strategy

Executive Director of SCL, Fiona Hawkesley said ‘The synergy between Iceland and SCL and our shared culture of putting staff first has created truly developmental programmes to support a thriving business.’

Last month saw the launch of a new kind of retail development programme for both Iceland and SCL; Iceland Superstars. All 30,000 Iceland colleagues across the UK group will now have access to Iceland’s Rising Stars Level 3 and Future Stars Level 4 programmes, part of the Iceland Superstars development pathways developed by SCL.

Speaking to Laura Forrest, Learning Development Manager at Iceland, her passion for Iceland’s Doing it Right culture was clear, as was the fit between Iceland and SCL. ‘When we started talking to SCL about the importance of our people as the foundations to building a successful business coupled with our doing it right culture, they just got it. We are a family of families at Iceland who put people at the heart of everything we do and the superstars programmes compliment this.’

Iceland’s focus on people is reinforced by having only last week been named as a Sunday Times Best Place to Work in the very big organisation category and being the only retailer listed in this category.

Kerryann Kelly, Head of Design & Client Programmes said ‘these programmes are uniquely developed to fit Iceland’s award-winning people and culture strategy and based on Iceland’s ‘big enough to deliver but small enough to really care mentality’. Using our bespoke approach to programme delivery we have created agile programmes to work around staff working patterns fused with Iceland’s culture and new digital skills for the future.’

‘SCL began consulting with Iceland in 2022 to review their development strategy and understand how they wanted to grow their talent and in turn positively impact their customer experience’ explained Head of Client Partnerships, SCL, Mark Hill.

Martin Knight, Innovation Director, SCL, said ‘We are really excited about how Iceland puts true importance on how their people feel and how their customers feel. We wanted to create truly people-led programmes which will be delivered in real positive working environments at Iceland where people thrive. We can’t wait to see where this partnership can reach’.

Iceland Foods HR Director, Helen Tindle said ‘Working together with SCL has allowed us to really improve our already Award-winning Apprenticeship programmes. Listening to colleagues who had been on the programmes really helped to shape what needed to change for our teams, and ensure the business benefit is clear from day one.  We deeply care that our colleagues are able to build their careers within Iceland and stay with us for the long-term; the improved Superstars programmes will ensure we are fit for future growth. 

SCL are on a mission to deliver real programmes for real people giving staff skills for the future and working with Iceland, who have 1,000 stores in the UK, it’s another step forward.