Every time I visit the Kingdom, I get amazed at how this vision is being put into action. Concrete initiatives are being undertaken to create a diverse, inclusive, and vibrant society where young talents are given a place to grow and succeed.

The Kingdom’s vision aims to provide job opportunities for Saudis in a growing retail sector that attracts modern, local, regional, and international brands across all regions of the country. With more than half of the Saudi population below the age of 25 years and a thriving retail sector, our Group ambition is to develop young Saudi talents and give them the opportunity to join our workforce.

 As the public sector is keen to equip and empower the local population, the Human Capital Development Program – chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud - is establishing HR centers of excellence in every government agency, and providing trainings to empower, develop and grow young talents. One great initiative is Tamheer, from the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) programs to support both male and female Saudi graduates to participate in the labour market. We, at Chalhoub Group, are contributing to that vision through our firm commitment to attract, nurture and upskill Saudi talent. In the process, widening employment opportunities in the Kingdom, while also enriching our talent pool as the number one Great Place to Work among large organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 Fostering a spirit of excellence

Being a deeply people-centric organisation, nothing brings us more joy than to see our employees excelling in their chosen paths. We are constantly thinking of ways to upskill our workforce through various learning opportunities to enhance their knowledge about the perpetually evolving retail industry, encourage innovation and foster a spirit of excellence. Sometimes even encouraging our employees to move out of their comfort zones to realize their full potential.

With over 50% of university graduates being female, one of the things that I’m especially proud about is the way our workplace has evolved in Saudi Arabia. Today women not only constitute 75% of our workforce, but almost 39% are in leadership roles. This is not only an integral part of our sustainability drive but also plays a bigger role in transforming the country’s socio-economic landscape.

With financial independence Saudi women accounting for over one-third of the Saudi labour force are seen to be contributing to a higher spend on luxury goods; they are keen to support local entrepreneurs and brands.

 A wish for a long-term and stronger retail force

Today, we have a big priority to attract, retain and nurture motivated, driven and powerful Frontliners that are always connected to our customers and inspired to thrive and grow.

We are putting all our efforts to mobilize our teams and our partnerships in shaping the retail marketing and enabling a career in this sector.

 To support a constant pursuit to learn, excel and grow, we have two Chalhoub Academies in the Kingdom through which we have trained almost 1,500 employees, so far. More recently, we have registered our Chalhoub Academy in the TCTV (Technical & Vocational Training Corporation) in KSA making our training programmes fully certified.

In addition, we collaborate with Saudi academic institutions such as Dar Al-Hekma University to support and nurture young local talents, creating employment opportunities for them. We have also launched Saudi Arabia’s first Fashion Lab, an open innovation platform to elevate Saudi Fashion brands and develop the entrepreneurial skills of young and creative Saudi talents; supporting them with mentorship, knowledge, funding, and retail space.

 The workplace of the future is a space that’s diverse and data-driven yet inclusive and human. One that is driven by people-centrism and business goals, always striving for excellence in both.

Being the number one Great Place to Work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not only an award to showcase or a rank to boast about. It is a huge responsibility that we take seriously to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our people in the Kingdom, something that always comes first in Chalhoub Group.

 A lot is happening in the Kingdom and more to come, we have great ambitions to continue paving the way for the retail sector in Saudi Arabia.