Academy to train Foodstuffs’ future leaders

Media Release
18 June 2009

Academy to train Foodstuffs’ future leaders

Future leaders of the supermarket industry will learn what it takes to run a top-performing business when the inaugural Foodstuffs Academy Management Programme starts in July.

The Academy is a first for New Zealand and is a long-term training programme established by the lower North Island grocery cooperative Foodstuffs Wellington.

The programme starts on July 7 in Wellington and will initially involve 30 delegates from within Foodstuffs’ stores, wholesale and distribution companies. The Academy will also be used as a tool to attract high achievers from outside the company.

“Great people are the key to every business’s success. This is never more important than in challenging economic times,” Foodstuffs Wellington chairman Brian Drake says.

“Every organisation needs a talent pool to draw on for its current and future leadership if it is to remain a strong, high performing business. It is not enough just to identify those people. It is vital to commit to developing their talent and rewarding their loyalty.”

The Foodstuffs Academy Management Programme has been developed by David Forman, one of New Zealand’s leading business trainers. It consists of eight three-day modules conducted over two years and has been designed around business objectives identified by more than 80 Foodstuffs store owner-operators and key managers.

The eight modules are:

• Leadership for the 21st Century
• Smart Business Thinking and Financial Know-How
• Self-Leadership and Personal Effectiveness
• Understanding and Driving the Customer Experience
• Building High-Performing Teams
• The Science of Shopping
• Managing for Operational Excellence
• Human Capital and Presenting with Confidence.

Foodstuffs Wellington, one of three independent Foodstuffs’ cooperatives covering the country, has a strong training and education philosophy for staff at all levels. It hosts a gala night every November to celebrate the successes of employees who have achieved trade and management qualifications.

“Since 1922, we have grown and developed our business beyond all expectations based on the leadership and acumen of our people,” Mr Drake says.

“Focusing on the continual development of employee knowledge is important if businesses are to stay competitive in this ever-changing environment. It is even more important during challenging economic times because we know that motivated, self-disciplined and well- trained people are the foundation for future growth.”

ENDS

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