At Almarai, we recognize that our employees are the cornerstone of our success. With a workforce of 43,821* individuals across various sectors, we are committed to fostering an empowering and positive work environment that enables our people to reach their full potential. Our dedication to attracting, nurturing and retaining a diverse and motivated workforce is reflected in our core values, which guide both our professional and personal interactions. We believe that by investing in our employees and upholding their rights, we can cultivate a culture of continuous growth and development that benefits both our team and the organization.
Voluntary Employee Turnover Rate: Achieved an impressive turnover rate of just 10%, reflecting our strong commitment to employee satisfaction and retention.
New Hires: Welcomed 7,215 new employees, with 63% aged between 18-30, showcasing our dedication to nurturing young talent.
Talent attraction and employee retention are critical components of Almarai's human resource strategy, reflecting our understanding that a skilled and committed workforce is the backbone of our success. In a competitive market, attracting top talent requires brand like Almarai to resonate with potential employees' values and career aspirations. As a measure, we focus on creating an inclusive and dynamic work environment that offers not just a job, but a promising career path filled with growth opportunities. Once talent is onboard, retention becomes our priority. We believe that retaining talent is not solely about competitive salaries and benefits; it is about developing a culture where employees feel valued, heard and engaged. We invest in onboarding programs, continuous professional development and clear pathways for advancement, which are crucial for employee satisfaction and loyalty.
(*This excludes Fondomonte, Bakemart, Etmam, and Pure Breed.)Proudly hired over 1,145 Saudi nationals this year, demonstrating our commitment to supporting the local workforce and promoting nationalization.
In line with our commitment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, nationalization is a key focus area in Almarai's talent attraction and retention strategy. We actively seek to empower Saudi nationals by offering them career opportunities that contribute to our nation's economic development and align with the goals of Vision 2030. By prioritizing the recruitment and development of local talent, we are investing in the future leaders of our industry and reinforcing our support for the Kingdom's agenda to increase the participation of Saudi citizens in the workforce. Almarai's nationalization efforts extend beyond recruitment to include tailored development programs, mentorship, and career progression plans that are specifically designed to meet the aspirations of Saudi employees.
In 2024, we launched specialized recruitment drives with the aim of attracting new Saudi talent to various roles within our company. We are proud to announce the successful hiring of over 1,145 Saudi nationals this year, reaffirming our dedication to nurturing the local workforce and advancing the nationalization agenda. The engagement of Saudi nationals in our professional development programs has also experienced a remarkable increase: from 1,889 participants in 2022, to 1,972 in 2023 and a significant leap to 3,040 in 2024. This growth, amounting to approximately 61% over the two-year period, emphasizes our commitment to the professional growth of local talent and highlights the value we place on the continuous investment in our employees' development.
At Almarai, we recognize that employee engagement is another pillar of retention and we ensure regular communication with employees, seeking their feedback and involving them in decision-making processes. We also believe that the wellbeing of our employees is fundamental to creating a motivated and dynamic workforce. By prioritizing the physical and mental health of our team, our aim is to nurture a work environment that promotes overall wellbeing, where employees can thrive and bring their best selves to their roles. We believe this focus on wellbeing would lead to heightened creativity, engagement and resilience among our staff. Moreover, we understand the importance of adapting to the changing needs of the workforce. We stay attuned to trends such as flexible working arrangements and the increasing desire for meaningful work. By aligning our policies with these evolving preferences, we not only retain talent but also attract new employees who are looking for employers that understand and accommodate their lifestyle choices.
Our strategic approach to employee wellbeing is embodied in our
WE@Almarai serves as a market-leading employee value proposition that distinguishes us as an employer of choice in Saudi Arabia.
We Care: Promoting employee wellbeing and healthy lifestyles.
We Evolve: Encouraging personal innovations in art, music and technology.
We Together: Fostering teamwork and collaboration.
We Celebrate: Marking national and internal milestones.
In 2024, we conducted series of initiatives across all the 4 pillars aimed at attracting and retaining top talent while ensuring inclusivity.
Digitalization also plays an important role in our strategy. We have been supporting our employees through our mobile application, which serves to close communication gaps and promote our programs particularly for our remote workforce throughout the GCC region. Additionally, we have utilized SMS and WhatsApp messages to communicate with our employees, particularly for advancing internal initiatives and disseminating information. These technological advancements streamline operations and empower employees, reinforcing Almarai’s position as an industry leader in innovation and workplace excellence.
Implementing SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) for data-driven decision-making using AI and machine learning.
Digitizing onboarding and offboarding processes via SAP SuccessFactors, improving employee engagement and retention.
Upgrading recruitment systems and introducing personalized digital workspaces through SAP Workzone.
At Almarai, we prioritize an employee-centered approach to training and career development, emphasizing the creation of well-defined career pathways, customized training programs and consistent performance evaluations. This strategy is essential to our dedication to creating a dynamic, skilled and future-oriented workforce. The training and development process involves identifying educational needs, developing and refining training programs, and then implementing and assessing their effectiveness. Evaluation includes meeting ad-hoc requirements and training targets using blended learning methods.
Almarai Academy: Empowering Almarai employees through excellence driven leadership and professional development programs.
Talent Programs: Identifying, developing, and empowering top talent, fostering growth, leadership, and excellence within the organization.
Individual Development Plan (IDP): Rolling out customized growth plans for 35% of management and professionals.
Succession Management: Implementing data-driven approaches to leadership pipeline development.
Talent and Organization Development (T&OD) at Almarai aims to reimagine learning practices through several strategic objectives, aligning talent development with organizational growth strategy. This initiative aims to establish a cohesive value chain that not only enhances individual capabilities but also fosters learning and organizational culture. Central to this endeavor is the Almarai Academy, which will further expand its role in facilitating talent growth and leadership development. Through this integration of talent and organization development initiatives, Almarai seeks to cultivate a skilled workforce that is well-equipped to meet future challenges and drive sustained success.
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Total hours of training provided | 295,100 | 468,117 | 507,551 | 895,604 |
| GCC | 275,596 | 454,885 | 496,819 | 885,589 |
| USA | 12,042 | 4,568 | 5,265 | 5,684 |
| Argentina | 7,462 | 8,664 | 5,467 | 4,331 |
| Average hours of training per employee | 8.3 | 12.2 | 12.4 | 20.4 |
| GCC | 7.9 | 12.1 | 12.3 | 20.6 |
| USA | 32.2 | 8.2 | 11.2 | 11.1 |
| Argentina | 35.4 | 38.7 | 23.6 | 17.9 |
| Learning and development programs (GCC only) | 1,681 | 572 | 831 | 2,759 |
| Number of Almarai Academy participants (National and non-national) | 863 | 459 | 638 | 2,293 |
| Number of Almarai Driving School participants (National and non-national) | 818 | 113 | 193 | 466 |
Between 2022 and 2024, Almarai has significantly expanded its training and development programs. In 2024, we reached a total of 895,604 training hours, a significant jump of 427,487 hours from the 468,117 hours recorded in 2022, which translates to a growth of roughly 91%. The average training hours per employee also saw a notable increase to 20 hours, up from 12 hours in 2022, an improvement of about 67%.
When it comes to learning and development programs offered in the GCC, the numbers increased from 572 in 2022 to an impressive 2,759 in 2024, an increase of approximately 382 %. The Almarai Academy program experienced substantial growth in participation, with numbers climbing from 459 participants in 2022 to 2,293 in 2024. The Almarai Driving School program also expanded its reach, with participant numbers rising from 113 in 2022 to 466 in 2024.
As we progress, we remain focused on fostering a learning environment that empowers every employee to excel, ensuring that Almarai remains at the forefront of innovation in our industry.
(*Including the HSS training 231,299 [+ 885,589], the total is 1,116,888.)At Almarai, we recognize the profound value that a diverse workforce brings to our organization. By fostering an inclusive, respectful and collaborative environment, we uphold our principles of equality and diversity in employment, which are vital to building a strong, dynamic and forward-looking company. Therefore, we strive to ensure equality of opportunity for existing and prospective employees, irrespective of their race, gender, age, religion, nationality or origin.
To enhance our commitment to promoting gender equality in different operational roles and to attract and support talent emerging talent, we developed and implemented an action plan focused on diversity and equal opportunity. We have launched several initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion, including a comprehensive training program, mentoring and coaching opportunities and a flexible working environment. We are also dedicated to creating a safe and respectful workplace culture, where every employee is treated with dignity and fairness and provided with equal access to opportunities and resources.
Almarai is an equal opportunity employer and bases employment decisions on qualifications, experience, skills and potential, without regard to race, gender, age, religion, nationality, or origin.
Zero incidents of discrimination reported for the year 2024.
Number of female employees increased by 34% compared to 2020.
Number of employees with disability is 415 for the year 2024.
Number of female trained increased by 30% in each year from 2023-2024.
The Almarai 2021 Sustainability Report outlined modification of one of our targets from increasing number of female employees to ensuring gender equality in our workforce, with focus on talent development, capabilities building and equal opportunities.
Goal/Target
Progress
Ensure gender equality in our workforce, with focus on talent development, capabilities building and opportunities.
Reduce voluntary employee turnover to achieve an average of 12% over the period 2020-2024.
90% of managers engage in at least 40 hours of professional development per year by 2025.
