“Hearts and Minds” Training to Inspire Internal Engagement: Tesco
JUNE 6 / 2026 by Tesco
Tesco’s “Hearts and Minds” training programme was developed to support internal alignment around the company’s food waste reduction goals. The aim was to help colleagues across the business understand how their day-today roles relate to broader environmental and social issues, particularly the link between food waste and climate change.
Rather than focusing purely on processes, the training encouraged staff to reflect on their own food habits and how small actions at work and at home could contribute to reducing waste. The initiative was designed to be accessible to Tesco’s diverse workforce and included a mix of animation, real-life video stories, interactive quizzes, and a custom learning game modelled on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”
The content also included practical advice, such as how to avoid overproduction or over-ordering in-store, and how food donations can help prevent surplus from being discarded. The programme aimed to equip colleagues with tools they could use both professionally and personally.
Initial feedback from staff indicated that the training was well received. A high percentage of participants reported feeling more informed about the company’s sustainability approach and better equipped to support food waste reduction efforts in their roles.
Cheryl Wetherburn, Food Surplus Manager, Tesco:
“Helping our colleagues understand the real-world impact of food waste has been key to building engagement. When people connect what they do every day to something bigger, it becomes more than just a task — it becomes something they care about.”
