Henderson Group has become the first major retailer and grocer to join Women in Business as a corporate member, a move the company and the business network say will open opportunities for the roughly 2,800 women who make up half of the group’s workforce of more than 5,600. According to the Belfast News Letter, the corporate membership gives every employee access to Women in Business’ programmes and events, signalling a formal commitment by one of Northern Ireland’s largest employers to support female talent across its retail, wholesale, foodservice and property divisions.

Kathy Simpson, Group HR director at Henderson Group, told the Belfast News Letter that the partnership is intended to help colleagues “connect, grow and thrive” and sits naturally alongside the group’s environmental, social and governance ambitions. She said the membership will be available to all team members, including those in logistics, stores, sales and support, and will enable men in the business to demonstrate allyship with female colleagues. The company frames the move as part of a broader people-centred strategy to build confidence and support networks for women at all levels.

Women in Business describes itself as an established Northern Ireland not-for-profit network that provides training, networking and development opportunities to women across sectors. The organisation’s leadership says membership has grown to more than 11,000 people and that corporate memberships allow unlimited company-wide access to learning and events; Collette Kelly, head of membership at Women in Business, welcomed Henderson’s decision as an investment in professional development and a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The corporate announcement sits alongside a string of employee-focused credentials Henderson has highlighted in recent years. The group points to multiple Investors in People accreditations across its businesses - several companies within the group have achieved Gold and Platinum status — which the company says recognises sustained investment in leadership, people development and workplace standards. Company statements credit these accreditations to a long-running focus on people management and performance.

Henderson has also emphasised a parallel commitment to colleague wellbeing through a partnership with local charity Action Mental Health. Henderson’s own reporting states the group raised more than £49,000 for Action Mental Health in 2024 and has donated in excess of £94,000 to the charity since the relationship began in 2022. Action Mental Health’s account of specific activities cites the Miles for Mental Health challenge — in which store and head-office teams completed 16,478.2 miles — and lists £22,730 raised from that particular event, while noting the challenge overall has generated over £50,000 across multiple years. The differing figures reflect a variety of fundraising initiatives and streams covered by the two organisations’ updates.

Outside observers note Henderson’s scale and regional significance. A corporate profile compiled by Hays records group revenues in excess of £1.3 billion in 2024 and describes the organisation as one of Northern Ireland’s largest employers, with a multi-divisional structure and long family ownership. The group’s size and reach mean its corporate membership is likely to influence not only internal development opportunities but also the visibility of Women in Business across the retail sector.

Henderson and Women in Business say the immediate practical benefits will include access to training, events and networks for employees at every level, and Henderson has already extended its wellbeing offer with practical manager-focused sessions: the company reports it has run two Mindful Manager groups with eight further sessions planned before the end of the year. While the firm presents these moves as part of an integrated strategy to attract and retain female talent, the true measure will be whether membership and associated initiatives translate into sustained progression, representation in senior roles and measurable changes in recruitment and retention over the coming months and years.