Henderson Group leads way in grocery and retail sector with Women in Business Partnership

Tuesday 19 August 2025

One of Henderson Group’s female directors has hailed a new corporate partnership as an exciting opportunity for women within the business to “connect, grow and thrive,”

With a workforce of over 5,600 employees, 50% of whom are female, Henderson Group’s membership commitment marks an important milestone for Women in Business as they welcome their first retailer to the network, and one of the biggest employers in Northern Ireland.

Kathy Simpson, Group HR Director at Henderson Group commented; “As a female leader, it is my priority to continue to grow confidence, build support networks and create a fantastic working environment for all, but especially women, throughout our business. This membership marks a natural progression for our ESG strategy throughout the group, meaning all team members can access the benefits, whether they work within logistics, our stores, sales or support teams.

“Establishing meaningful partnerships, such as this corporate membership with Women in Business, is vitally important for our employee growth. This partnership will support and inspire those who work with us and attract even more women into our business. What’s more, this membership provides access to everyone within our business, meaning our male workforce can show important allyship with their colleagues.”

Women in Business is a Northern Irish not-for-profit organisation, providing women with the support, skills and connections needed to achieve success in their careers. The organisation currently has over 11,000 members in Northern Ireland.

Collette Kelly, Head of Membership at Women in Business added; “We are delighted to welcome Henderson Group as a corporate member of the Women in Business network. By joining, the Group is not only investing in their teams’ personal and professional development, but also showcasing a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Together, we can create opportunities that support women and drive progressive change."

This is just the latest commitment and investment Henderson Group has made towards employees’ personal and professional development and their wellbeing.

The Group has an on-going and active partnership with Action Mental Health, which enables the entire workforce to access personal development programmes and activities to support positive mental health and emotional wellbeing. A recent expansion of the partnership has included access to Mindful Manager group sessions, providing practical pathways for managers to lead with colleague mental wellbeing in mind. Two groups have been completed so far, with eight further sessions planned before the end of the year. Colleagues also have access to Mental Health Awareness sessions conducted by Action Mental Health to support healthy and resilient workplaces.

The Group also implemented many activities throughout 2024 to give back to the charity, including a week-long series of events to mark World Mental Health Day, raising over £49,000 for the charity.

Henderson Group also has four companies which have achieved a coveted Gold and Platinum Investors in People Accreditations, recognising the business’s commitment to supporting and developing their employees, demonstrating a strong focus on people management and achieving sustainable results.

Henderson Group Property received the Gold accreditation earlier this year, with Henderson Wholesale reaching the accreditation in 2023.

Henderson Retail received Gold status in 2022, with Henderson Foodservice following in 2023. Both companies have since achieved Platinum status, two of 14 companies in Northern Ireland to do so.

Women in Business is part of The WiB Group, a collective of social enterprises dedicated to creating an inclusive, prosperous economy for Northern Ireland. For more information, visit: www.womeninbusinessni.com.

Tuesday 19 August 2025