UK DIY News
Sainsbury's and Amazon Directors Join Retail Trust Board of Trustees
Sainsbury’s chief retail, logistics and supply chain officer Tracey Clements, and Amazon’s director for EU Fresh Matt Birch have been appointed as new trustees of retail industry charity the Retail Trust.
They will join other retail leaders on the charity's board of trustees including Landsec’s managing director for retail Bruce Findlay, New Look’s former executive chairman Alistair George, and Matalan’s former chief customer and omni-channel officer Ali Jones.
Holland & Barrett’s CEO Anthony Houghton was also appointed as a trustee and non-executive director of the Retail Trust last year.
Tracey Clements has held leadership roles at Tesco and was chief operating officer at Boots UK & Ireland and senior vice president of mobility and convenience Europe at bp before joining Sainsbury’s operating board in September.
Matt Birch leads Amazon’s Fresh Grocery business across the EU and previously held senior leadership roles at Sainsbury’s and Central Co-op. He is also a trustee of the Felix Project, London’s largest food redistribution charity, and was previously a non-executive director of Mersey Care NHS Trust.
Tracey Clements, Sainsbury’s chief retail, logistics and supply chain officer, said: “I’m delighted to be joining the board of the Retail Trust as a trustee. It’s a charity with a long and proud history but what really excites me is its clear focus on the future of the retail frontline workforce, supporting people not just through today’s challenges but in building resilience, wellbeing and opportunity for the years ahead.”
Matt Birch, Amazon’s director for EU Fresh, said: “Supporting the people who power our industry is something I care deeply about. I'm honoured to be joining the Retail Trust's board of trustees, helping contribute to their important work championing the wellbeing of retail colleagues across the UK.”
The Retail Trust works with more than 200 retailers to protect their staff’s wellbeing but its latest Retail People Index warned that wellbeing across the sector fell by 6% in 2025 as cost pressures on retail businesses increased.
The charity began a partnership with Mountain Warehouse last year to bring new wellbeing support to another 4,500 retail workers and relaunched its Let’s Respect Retail campaign to confront the scale of abuse facing staff.
It also completed a £1 million renovation of its Hugh Fraser Retirement Estate in Glasgow and marked the 70th anniversary of its Leylands Estate for retired retail workers.
Poundland and the Retail Trust announced a new partnership to support its 12,000 workers in January.
Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said: “Our charity provided vital support to tens of thousands of retail workers across the country last year and we’re extremely grateful to be welcoming Tracey and Matt to the Retail Trust as we carry on with work to help even more people in 2026.
“Tracey and Matt have fantastic track records in developing and leading teams across the retail sector and will play an important role in ensuring the Retail Trust continues to evolve at pace and meet the needs of the entire retail workforce, alongside our other trustees.”
About the Retail Trust
The Retail Trust has been caring for and protecting the lives of people working in retail from 1832 onwards. We believe the health of our colleagues is the foundation they need to flourish in both work and life. It will also help create a more sustainable and successful future for retail. We put people at the heart of everything we do, from colleagues just starting out, right through to those at the end of their careers.
We like to remember how our very first chairman, Thomas Helps, described the purpose of the charity: “To promote the happiness and interests of those engaged in the trade....” This still holds true today. In fact it guides everything we do, why we do it and what we believe in. We believe in it so passionately, our charity has become a movement with a very clear cause: to create hope, health and happiness for everyone in retail.
We create hope, health and happiness for everyone in retail by giving them the foundation to flourish. A foundation that provides help, humanity and feeling to all our colleagues. One that gives them the opportunity to flourish, to grow and develop now and in the future. And feel happier in everything they do.
Source : Retail Trust
Image : Retail Trust: Sainsbury’s chief retail, logistics and supply chain officer Tracey Clements, and Amazon’s director for EU Fresh Matt Birch
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