HNC STUDENTS EXPLORE SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS WITH THE ASDA YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAMME
12.03.2026HNC’s A Level and Applied Business students participating in the ASDA Young Leaders Programme have recently spent the day at ASDA HQ, Leeds, taking part in a range of workshops, lectures, and supportive seminars to further develop the business plans the College’s two teams have been working on throughout their time on the programme.
The ASDA’s Young Leader’s Programme is a nationwide initiative that supports young people who are considering progressing to a career in retail once they have completed their studies. Year 12 students from across the country take part in the initiative, and with the retail sector employing approximately 3 million people – making up around 10% of the UK’s workforce – taking part is a key stepping stone for those hoping to secure a role within the sector. ASDA itself employs over 150,000 people across functions as diverse as in-store retail, distribution, fashion, technology, and pharmaceuticals, and offers a range of early careers opportunities, including apprenticeships, across the business.
Students participating in the Young Leaders Programme are tasked with undertaking a variety of projects designed to develop key business and personal skills, supporting the young people taking part to build their confidence and become ‘career ready’ – as well as developing knowledge that will support them to achieve well in their current studies. This year’s Young Leaders Programme focuses on ASDA’s ESG 2025 report – a report that focused on building sustainability across the retailer. The two groups representing HNC this year have focused on two different areas of sustainability; group one are developing a business plan to increase home deliveries to positively impact long term economic sustainability, with group two focusing on building the sustainability of choice in store. Both groups recently spent the day at ASDA HQ in Leeds, where they had the opportunity to develop their business plans further with the support of their ASDA mentors. On the day, the groups also took part in hands-on workshops and enjoyed a lecture which explored the environmental challenges retailers face when trying to reduce carbon emissions, especially considering the wider supply chain and other partners the retailer works with.
Taking part in national programmes such as ASDA’s Young Leaders is a key way in which we prepare our students for their next steps. James Tindall, Faculty Lead, shares more “Participating in the ASDA Young Leaders Programme provides our A Level and Applied Business students with a genuine insight into what life could be like working within the UK’s retail sector – showcasing how it’s so much more to retail than the products they see on the shelves in a supermarket! This year’s projects focus on sustainability, and the challenges that large retailers have with ensuring their business remain economically and environmentally sustainable. Our two groups have embodied our College values of collaboration, motivation and enthusiasm, working together to develop inspired business plans that have impressed their mentors. I am incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication shown by our two teams and I look forward to our next day at ASDA HQ!”.
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