The Employee Experience Survey is coming soon! Have your voice heard.

At Safeway, we believe that a winning culture is cultivated from a winning experience for our teammates. Each year, we send out an Employee Experience Survey to hear from you, our valuable teammates, about what’s important to you and how we can deliver the best experience for everyone.

The survey will be open from March 20 – April 10, 2023, for all Corporate and Candico teammates. Your feedback is confidential and individual responses will not be shared at any point.

Over the last year, your feedback from the 2022 survey informed our strategies and initiatives and refined our People Plan so that we can better engage, support, and empower teammates.

We’ve seen countless success stories across the company. So, as we prepare for this year’s survey, we’re highlighting some of the exciting initiatives we’ve launched or improved across the company, thanks to your feedback!

  • Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: DE&I is our shared top priority, and we’ve continued our commitment to advancing DE&I with further initiatives and integration into our business goals. These include sharing teammate stories, focusing on indigenous relationslaunching pronoun name tags, celebrating supplier diversity, examining ways to mitigate bias in our talent processes and DE&I training for leaders.

 

  • Reducing environmental impact: You shared that working for a socially responsible company was important to you. From reducing food waste in our stores to sending less plastic and packaging to landfills, we’ve continued to look at various ways to reduce our environmental impact. Part of this initiative was our #FoodRescue Movement, a two-week marketing campaign that inspired Canadians to come together and do Our Part for future generations by rescuing food at home.

 

  • Making teammate resources more accessible: You identified that having better access to our tools and resources was an area we could improve in. We continue to look for ways to make our resources more user-friendly to help you personally and professionally; such as the improved People Portal experience, and our Mental Wellbeing toolkit and website to protect and improve our mental health.

 

  • Improving the Teammate Experience: Delivering value to our teammates is a part of our investment in you. Based on your feedback, in 2023 alone we:
    • leveraged our partnership with Scene+ and rebranded our employee discount program to provide you with core discounts at our participating banners, and unique offers through our Teammate Exclusives program. This program provides more than $200 in additional value, bringing the total value of our discount program up to over $1,000 a year.

Stay tuned for details on how to access the survey next week.

It’s your last chance to enter the #myNHLfamily Teammate Contest!

Don’t worry — you haven’t missed your chance to enter the #myNHLfamily Teammate Contest. So, be sure to enter today! All you need to do is click here by March 16 to place your name in the running to win some great prizes!

As a reminder, there’s three grand prizes of a $250 NHLShop.ca gift card up for grabs and 50 secondary prizes of a $50 NHLShop.ca gift card. Pretty exciting, right?!

For more information, speak with your Store Manager.

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating our #myNHLfamily partnership.

Good luck!

There’s still time! Nominate a deserving teammate as a Value Champion by April 30.

Guided by our four Values, we know that Safeway teammates are going above and beyond every day to support our customers, communities and one another. Teammates who put these ideals into action and inspire others to do the same should be recognized and celebrated.

That’s what the Value Champions program is all about!

Have you noticed a teammate demonstrating one of our Values?

People-Powered — teammates who help their colleagues be their best by listening to and supporting each other, communicating openly and candidly, and encouraging positivity and fun.

Customer-Driven — teammates who go the extra mile for the customer by consistently making customers our priority, understanding their needs, finding ways to thrill them and serve them with pride.

Community-Engaged — teammates who make a difference in our communities by consistently engaging with our communities, giving back, acting in sustainable ways, and supporting local initiatives, entrepreneurs, and suppliers.

Results-Oriented — teammates who drive great results in a fair and ethical way by consistently bringing a winning attitude, delivering on our commitments, finding new and innovative solutions, and are fair and ethical in our decisions.

Be sure to nominate them as a Value Champion, today! The deadline to submit a nomination is April 30.

Nomination Process

When nominating a teammate as a Value Champion, it’s super important to provide full details such as their name, job title, and location of work. The winning submission is dependent on how much detail you provide.

Selection Process

The Value Champions Selection Committee will be selecting 100 Value Champions finalists for this year. There will be five winners, one for each Value and one national winner determined by Operations Vice Presidents.

If you have any questions, please contact sobeysrecognitionprograms@sobeys.com or visit SobeysValueChampions.com for more information.

Let’s help feed hungry tummies in our community!

Did you know that over three million children in Canada are living without guaranteed access to nutritious meals?

This means that countless children are starting their school day without a meal. But with the help of you, our Safeway teammates, and our customers, we can change this!

Our annual Toonies for Tummies in-store fundraising campaign starts today! By raising much-needed funds, we can help ensure healthy breakfasts and snacks are available to school-aged children with hungry tummies.

This year, Sobeys Inc. will kick off the campaign with a $100,000 donation and will match customer donations up to an additional $200,000.

The in-store campaign runs until March 16 at all Safeway locations. Toonies for Tummies is an initiative of The Grocery Foundation, in partnership with Breakfast Club of Canada, and local agencies.

When students start their day on an empty stomach, their energy levels, academic performance, memory function, and school attendance are impacted. With as little as $2, we can help fill those tummies with proper nutrition, reducing the potential risk of stress, anxiety and depression that’s linked to food insecurity.

Thank YOU for bringing this campaign to life over the next couple weeks. Your encouragement in asking customers to donate at the till will go a long way in helping us raise as much funds as we can. Together, we can make healthy breakfasts available for children who need it most in the communities we serve.

To learn more about this meaningful initiative, visit groceryfoundation.com.

Congratulations to our 2021/2022 Nourish U Safeway Graduates

Safeway is committed to supporting our teammates in striving for greatness — and when they achieve success, we celebrate together.

We’re so pleased to share that 22 Safeway teammates in Alberta have successfully completed the 2021/2022 Corporate Nourish U Management Training Program.

Teammate Program & Department Store
Hasan Ulutas DMT Grocery Beltline Safeway
Amber-Lee Karnitsky DMT Grocery Wetaskiwin Safeway
Jamie Rogers DMT Grocery Riverbend Square Safeway
Rubina Anjum DMT Grocery Southgate Safeway
Kyle Meston DMT Meat Garneau Safeway
Meaghan Paul DMT Grocery Capilano Safeway
Neil Smith DMT Produce Tower Lane Mall Safeway
Ana Barrio De Mendoza DMT Deli Glamorgan Safeway
Zahra Bhanji DMT Grocery North Hill Centre Safeway
Stuart McConnell DMT Produce North Hill Centre Safeway
Michaela Sutton DMT Grocery Leduc Safeway
Tori Madu DMT Grocery Meadowlark Safeway
Jerome Resultan DMT Produce Sherwood Park Safeway
Rachel Morgan DMT Meat Dalhousie Station Safeway
Jarett Moreau DMT Meat Sherwood Park Safeway
Tanija Vennard SMT Westmount Safeway
Dylan Lyon SMT Woodbine Square Safeway
Eric Blaskin SMT West Hills Town Centre Safeway
Keira Colpitts SMT Brooks Safeway
Kuljit Parmar SMT Dalhousie Station Safeway
Dallas Eldon Shail SMT South View Safeway
Simardeep Singh SMT Manning Crossing Safeway

Let’s hear directly from a couple grads on what this rewarding experience meant to them.

“The journey through the SMT Nourish U program was one of extreme character growth and confidence building as a leader. It was a privilege to work alongside my fellow SMT members and store manager trainers — sharing stories of real-world scenarios and personal stories of what got them into this program.

At the end of the day its about the people and the community you serve. Coaching others on the fulfillment you can feel by taking care of these two aspects with 110% of your ability is my takeaway from the program. This is something I will carry with me as I move throughout my career, while never forgetting who helped me get to where I am today.”

Eric Blaskin, Westhills Safeway, SMT Nourish U graduate

“The Nourish U program was a great way to gain knowledge and experience outside the comfort of our own stores. It helped me see things from different points of view and learn how others deal with similar situations in different ways.

In some ways, we learned more from each other’s stories and experiences than from anything in a book. This experience also helped me make lasting connections with other managers who I can rely on later down the road when I need advice or just someone to bounce ideas off of.”

Amber-Lee Karnitsky, Wetaskiwin Safeway, DMT Nourish U graduate

A big congratulations to each graduate. We couldn’t be prouder to have you as part of the Safeway family, and can’t wait to see all that you accomplish in your career journey with us.

Nourish U is our leadership development program for corporate Store Manager (SMT) and Department Manager (DMT) training. It’s the very best opportunity to immerse yourself in our operations, get to know our teammates, and understand our products. But Nourish U is more than just an education tool — it’s the engine that kick starts our culture, brings together our brightest minds, and establishes a foundation for every successful career at Safeway.

If you’re interested in applying for an upcoming Nourish U Program cohort, visit the Nourish U tile in the People Portal for more information, or speak to your manager who’s always available to help.

Want to take your shot at winning a NHLShop.ca gift card?

The #myNHLfamily contest is back for our customers with the chance to win 1 of 4 amazing prizes, including a hockey season’s worth of free groceries and season tickets.

But we can’t just have our customers have all the fun. We want to give teammates a chance to get in on the action, too, with their own exciting contest that launches today — and participating is easy!

Between February 16 – March 16, click here to enter the contest by filling in your contact details.

What’s up for grabs? Three (3) grand prizes of a $250 NHLShop.ca gift card and fifty (50) secondary prizes of a $50 NHLShop.ca gift card. Winners will be randomly selected, and their gift cards will be sent directly to them.

For more information, speak with your Store Manager.

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating our #myNHLfamily partnership.

Good luck!

Keep heart healthy this month

Did you know that 2.4 million Canadians are affected by heart disease and that it’s the second leading cause of death in Canada? February is heart health month, and our Safeway Pharmacy wants to help you reduce your risk of heart disease and increase your heart health knowledge.

What is heart disease? Heart disease refers to various types of heart conditions, such as a heart attack, stroke, heart failure, hypertension, or arrhythmia. Heart disease can affect men and women differently. Click HERE to learn more about heart health.

Pharmacy has changed roles when it comes to health care. Your local pharmacist is an educator, but also someone who is here to support you. Our Safeway Pharmacy teams can help you with heart health management and even prevention of heart disease. Here’s how they can help:

  • A member of our pharmacy team can discuss alternative behaviours that will help prevent you from getting heart disease, such as having a well-balanced diet, active living or quitting smoking.
  • Our pharmacists can create a personalized care plan that’s specific to you! They’ll meet with you to review your health history and current medications. Together, you’ll develop a plan that is suited best to you.
  • Medication reviews are a great way to understand your meds. Our teams can help you understand how the medications interact, with any side effects, and with goals to decrease the dosage of a medication.
    • Ask your local Safeway pharmacist about compliance packaging, which will help ensure that you take your prescriptions correctly and on time. We have a variety of innovative solutions.
  • Your blood pressure plays an important role in preventing and managing heart disease. Our Safeway Pharmacies offers free blood pressure testing and results are available immediately.
    • The test is simple, painless, and takes only a minute or two. This allows you to be in control of your health!
    • Discuss your results with our pharmacists – we can assess your personal history and let you know if you need to take action.

Visit your local Safeway Pharmacy team and see how they can help with your heart health management.

February is American Heart Month, which brings awareness to heart disease, stroke, and overall heart health. The key to living a long, healthy life is caring for your heart, so take note

Thank you for helping us raise more than $600,000 for local food banks!

On behalf of our food bank partners, a big thank you to our Alberta Safeway teams for your ongoing commitment to our communities and food bank partners. The need is at a record high, and every single dollar raised will help fill the shelves at our local food banks.

We’re happy to share that our Alberta Safeway teammates and customers came together to raise more than $600,000 in support of local food banks and food programs in our communities.

In total, $4.6 million was raised in food and funds across all Sobeys Inc. banners. An impressive $3.1 million was raised from December 1 – 23. The Sobeys Inc. match weekend on December 17 – 18, resulted in an additional $250,000, bringing the total funds raised to $3.3 million. In addition to customer donations, $1.3 million in food bank hamper sales took place from November through December.

To you, our teammates, who brought this campaign to life — a HUGE thank you for your incredible fundraising efforts! The funds you helped raise will directly support hungry families in your communities, and you should feel so proud of the difference you’re making in someone’s life.

A big round of applause for Karen, cashier at Southgate Safeway (Edmonton, AB), who raised more than $1,400.

One of our cashiers, Kathy, at Leduc Safeway proudly supporting this initiative. With her efforts, she helped raise more than $900 for local food banks and food programs.

A day of remembrance

Today, on November 11, let us pay tribute to the many Canadian heroes, both past and present, who have fought and sacrificed for our beautiful country. For without their sacrifices, the freedoms we enjoy today would not be possible.

As a team with such deep Canadian roots, it’s important that we take a moment to pause and reflect on the courage and bravery of those who served, and continue to serve, our great nation. We will wear our poppies with pride today to honour them.

The following will be read over the PA system in our Safeway stores at 11:00 a.m. this morning to observe a moment of silence:

“Please join us now for two minutes of silence, to honour and remember the men and women who have; and continue to serve Canada in times of war, military conflict and peace. During this time of reflection, we pause to thank and remember our Fallen.”

Today and always, #CanadaRemembers.

Congratulations to our teammates accepted in the 2022/2023 Nourish U Program

At Safeway, we’re committed to helping our teammates be the best that they can be. We’re here to support each of you in taking risks, striving for greatness, and chasing after your career dreams. Because your success is OUR success.

One of the ways we can help you advance your career is through the Nourish U Management Training Program. Nourish U is our leadership development program for corporate Store Manager (SMT) and Department Manager (DMT) training. It’s the very best opportunity to immerse yourself in our operations, get to know our teammates, and understand our products. But Nourish U is more than just an education tool — it’s the engine that kick starts our culture, brings together our brightest minds, and establishes a foundation for every successful career at Safeway.

With that said, it’s our absolute pleasure to congratulate the following 31 Alberta Safeway teammates who’ve been accepted in the 2022/2023 Nourish U Program. You should feel incredibly proud for being selected. And for investing in yourself.

We’re all rooting for you — and know you have what it takes to be successful. We couldn’t be prouder to have you part of the Safeway family!

From left to right: Amber-Lee Karnitsky from Safeway Wetaskiwin and Sharene De Vries from Safeway Leduc ready for their Store Manager and Department Manager training respectively.

Celebrating the successful acceptance of Nathan Eveneshen (DMT) and Kelly Falk (SMT) from Safeway Leduc.
     
A big congrats to Maxwell Adams (pictured left) from Safeway Windermere, Patrick Macleod (pictured right) from Safeway Leduc, and Ted Krukewich (pictured below) from Safeway Hinton for their acceptance in the DMT program.

If you’re interested in applying for an upcoming Nourish U Program cohort, visit the Nourish U tile in the People Portal for more information, or speak to your manager who’s always available to help.

Stay tuned for a Safeway Talks story soon celebrating our 2021/2022 graduates.