UKG announces Aspire EMEA Innovation award winners. 19 May 2026 LONDON, U.K. 12 organisations, including DHL, L'Oreal, McAfee, Sainsbury's, and Sodexo honoured at UKG Aspire EMEA for advancing workforce innovation with the AI-powered UKG Workforce Operating Platform UKG, a leading global AI platform unifying HR, pay, and workforce management, today announced the winners of its UKG Aspire EMEA Innovation Awards, recognising customers who are using the UKG(R) Workforce Operating Platform to drive data-led decisions, transform the frontline worker experience, and streamline operations across their enterprises. "These award winners are leading a fundamental shift from simply managing work to intelligently orchestrating it," said Russell Howe, Group Vice President EMEA at UKG. "With the UKG Workforce Operating Platform, they're moving beyond automation to leverage AI and real-time data to understand workforce dynamics, reduce cost leakage, and anticipate what's next, so leaders can make faster, more confident decisions based on foresight, not hindsight." Exceptional implementation. * DHL Supply Chain transitioned to the UKG Pro Workforce Management(TM) suite to unify workforce operations for more than 150,000 employees across 800+ global sites. Using an automation-driven approach, DHL executed on-schedule deployments across North America, Latin America, Europe, the U.K. and Ireland, and Asia Pacific, which has equipped leaders with AI-driven insights and immediate visibility into workforce data, enabling better decision-making, consistent payroll delivery, and improved performance at scale across its global network. * Sodexo completed its UKG migration across six segments, 1,721 sites, and 30,000 employees, while also deploying the UKG Talk(R) communications platform within its prison services. Through the migration, the team maintained payroll continuity, minimised disruption, and established a scalable platform that supports future growth and operational efficiency, making it easy to surface real-time workforce data to inform labour strategies and business decisions. * AS Watson successfully launched the UKG Pro Workforce Management suite, UKG Talk, UKG People Assist(TM), and UKG Document Manager services simultaneously across two major retail brands with a largely deskless workforce to create a mobile-first people platform. This delivered immediate value, improved adoption from the first pay period, and established a scalable foundation for long-term workforce transformation. Frontline worker excellence. * Sainsbury's partnered with UKG to rapidly transform how its thousands of store colleagues plan and manage their working hours. In the first week alone, 92% of colleagues used UKG self-service tools, helping to process thousands of time-off requests and enabling colleagues to pick up additional overtime shifts. The grocer also introduced availability-first scheduling and flexible shift management, improving cover during busy periods such as public holidays while giving colleagues greater control over when and where they work. * Les Ambassadeurs created a more transparent and empowering employee experience in its luxury hospitality environment with the UKG Ready(R) suite by improving scheduling fairness, giving workers greater control over their work patterns, and reducing administrative burden - ensuring frontline employees have the schedules and hours that meet their needs while aligning labour to demand to deliver exceptional service. Global payroll excellence. * McAfee, through a long-standing partnership with UKG, successfully implemented and has leveraged the UKG One View(R) platform to transform its global payroll operating model. This transformation was delivered during a period of significant organisational change, resulting in a standardised, strongly governed global payroll framework across more than 30 countries, delivering greater than 99% on-time payroll accuracy, and a resilient solution proven over time. * B. Fuller modernised payroll operations by unifying UKG One View and UKG Pro Workforce Management, consolidating payroll across 30 countries and approximately 80% of its global workforce. This created a more standardised, automated, and insight-driven payroll framework that improves compliance, reduces manual effort, and supports future growth. Data-Driven impact. * Aurobindo Pharma transformed the HR function of its European operations with UKG Ready, moving the global pharmaceutical manufacturer's European workforce management from manual, process-driven operations to a data-driven model with analytics and automation that delivers real-time visibility into workforce trends for faster decisions, stronger compliance, and more accurate workforce planning without compromising the agility of HR operations. * EE leveraged the UKG platform to connect workforce data with commercial performance across its retail locations, giving leaders near real-time visibility into scheduling, attendance, and labour impact while embedding UKG data into the mobile network operator's 'My Store' performance hub to create predictive insights that support smarter decisions and improve ROI across its retail enterprise. Next gen HR. * L'Oréal implemented UKG Document Manager as a global solution for HR document management, standardising processes, strengthening governance, and reducing manual effort at scale through the "L'OréalGPT" AI-powered automation. By embedding UKG within its broader HR ecosystem as a unified hub for HR documents, L'Oréal now supports the entire employee lifecycle - from onboarding to offboarding - which has accelerated turnaround times and improved the employee experience for its 95,000 global employees through more connected, data-driven HR service delivery. * TÜV Rheinland modernized HR service delivery with UKG People Assist and UKG Document Manager by creating a single point for requests and automating document generation to improve consistency and transparency, leveraging AI to process more than 58,000 HR requests in the past year and delivering efficiency gains, stronger governance, and a scalable foundation for future automation. ROI/Measurable results. * Camira Fabrics transformed its workforce operations with the UKG Ready suite, reducing pay costs by up to 30% through improved absence management and cutting payroll preparation time by 50%. By replacing manual processes with automated workflows and real-time data, the textile manufacturer also achieved 99% global adoption, saving time, reducing risk, and delivering measurable ROI. "These organisations understand that when you improve the way work works for people - especially those on the frontline - you unlock better outcomes everywhere," said Bob DelPonte, Chief Customer Experience Officer at UKG. "By leveraging AI and real-time workforce insights in the UKG Workforce Operating Platform, our customers are creating more connected, responsive experiences that meet employees where they are, making work simpler and more flexible, while helping their businesses move faster and operate more efficiently." About UKG. UKG is a leading global AI platform for HR, pay, and workforce management. Unifying award-winning solutions with the world's largest collection of workforce data and people-first AI, UKG delivers unrivalled insights into today's workforce, helping organisations in every industry turn data into decisions that elevate productivity, culture, and the customer experience. Trusted by more than 80,000 organisations across 150 countries, tens of millions of employees - from small businesses to global enterprises - use UKG every day. To learn more, visit ukg.co.uk. UKG Contact:

New Merlin partnership turns shopping into family tickets. Sainsbury's Nectar members can now double the value of their points on tickets for various Merlin attractions (Image: Merlin) Parents scrambling for May half-term ideas may not need to travel far this year after a new "25 miles of adventure" map revealed families can visit some of the UK's biggest attractions all within easy reach of each other. From rollercoasters and PAW Patrol rides to the London Eye and Madame Tussauds, Merlin Entertainments is bringing together eight major attractions into one giant family-friendly adventure zone running throughout half term from May 23 to 31. This comes as Sainsbury's has launched a new partnership between Nectar and Merlin Entertainments, allowing shoppers to turn everyday grocery points into discounted tickets for some of the UK's biggest attractions. This includes Alton Towers Resort, LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, Thorpe Park, and the London Eye. Fun Rainy Day Activities for Kids The new family savings trick parents are spotting. And the biggest surprise for families is that Nectar points will now be worth double their normal value when redeemed through the deal. That means £5 worth of Nectar points instantly becomes £10 off tickets. The new partnership covers more than 20 Merlin attractions across the UK, including: * Chessington World of Adventures Resort * SEA LIFE London Aquarium * Warwick Castle * Cadbury World * Madame Tussauds London * The London Dungeon Families simply open the Nectar app, select the Merlin offer and book directly through the dedicated redemption page. The move comes as Merlin launches a major push for May half-term, with new attractions including the World of PAW Patrol at Chessington and late-night Thorpe Park openings already creating online buzz. Other ways to save. Alternatively, non-Nectar customers can purchase a London multi-attraction ticket from £49pp and add on additional attractions to their visit. Multi-attraction tickets can be purchased from any of the London attraction's websites. * Chessington World of Adventures Resort tickets start from £32pp when booked online. Chessington World of Adventures short breaks during May half term start from £73pp based on Bed & Breakfast with two adults and two children under 15 years staying in a standard bedroom in the Safari Hotel. Book both day tickets and short breaks online at www.chessington.com. * LEGOLAND Windsor Resort tickets start at £32pp when booked online. LEGOLAND Adventure Golf tickets start from £8pp per round. LEGOLAND(R) Windsor Resort short breaks during May half term start from £127pp based on two adults and two children staying in Woodland Village Lodge. Book both day tickets and short breaks online at www.legoland.co.uk. * Thorpe Park tickets start at £32pp when booked online. Thorpe Park short breaks during May half term start from £89pp based on four people sharing a standard room. Book both day tickets and short breaks online at www.thorpepark.com. * Shrek's Adventure! London tickets start at £21pp when booked online at www.shreksadventure.com. * SEA LIFE London Aquarium tickets start at £28pp when booked online at www.visitsealife.com. * London Eye tickets start at £29pp when booked online at www.londoneye.com. Why families could save hundreds on Merlin attractions. With ticket prices for major attractions climbing sharply in recent years, many families have started searching for loyalty point tricks and supermarket reward hacks to cut costs. The new Nectar partnership effectively turns routine food shopping into discounted family experiences - something experts say could become increasingly popular during the cost-of-living squeeze. A family using £25 worth of Nectar points, for example, could now receive £50 off attraction tickets. Merlin says the partnership is designed to make attractions more affordable and accessible for families across the UK. Recommended reading: Attractions included in the deal. The partnership includes: * Alton Towers Resort * Thorpe Park * LEGOLAND Windsor * Chessington World of Adventures * The London Eye * SEA LIFE aquariums * Warwick Castle * Cadbury World * Madame Tussauds * The London Dungeon Stan Swinton, Merlin's Chief Growth Officer, said the deal comes at the perfect time, with major new launches including Bluey attractions at Alton Towers and the new PAW Patrol-themed area at Chessington. Will you be making use of this deal to visit some attractions? Let us know in the comments.

Sacked for saving the Champagne: Sainsbury's fires 15-year veteran for confronting violent shoplifter. Gary MacArthur, who worked as a shop assistant at a Sainsbury's in West Wickham, south-east London, for 15 years, was fired in March after an altercation with a bottle-throwing shoplifter in December 2025. Despite the store's security guard having collapsed earlier, Gary was dismissed for gross misconduct for failing to follow Sainsbury's guidance on "prevent\[ing] incidents". The supermarket had previously given him a written warning and extra training on this policy. His dismissal letter, seen by LBC, stated that even though the shoplifter threw glass bottles at his colleagues, Gary should have acted only as a "visual deterrent". "The job was my life, really," Gary said tearfully. "I don't have much. The friends that I do have are generally my work colleagues... Apart from that... I've got five fish tanks and two snakes, and that's pretty much me." The incident happened over an hour after his shift was meant to end. After the store's security guard suffered a suspected stroke, Gary agreed to stay late to help the all-female team feel safer. "My security guard started at 1pm and he didn't seem right," Gary recalled. "Around 2:30, he had a stroke on the shop floor. Me and another colleague were the first at his scene, did a bit of CPR and called the ambulance." "I finish at 9pm, \[and] as I go to take my headpiece off, I've got all the girls screaming in my ear going 'come down, we've got an aggressive Champagne thief.'" The shoplifter was a repeat offender known locally for stealing high-end bottles of Moët, Bollinger, and Veuve Clicquot. Aware of the thief's aggressive reputation, Gary confronted the man and escorted him from the store. He found a bag of stolen bottles, which he brought inside. By the time Gary returned, the shoplifter was back in the store smashing bottles, throwing two towards his manager and a colleague. As the thief grabbed four more bottles, a customer blocked his path with a trolley. Gary and the customer then restrained the man until the police arrived. Three months later, Gary was dismissed for gross misconduct. His appeal in early April was unsuccessful. The company decided his actions had escalated the situation. This wasn't the first time. In August 2025, Gary received a written warning after challenging a thief. He insists he "can't let it go" when he sees someone breaking the law, and once lost teeth after being punched while stopping a theft. "It's not even thieving these days - it's pure looting," Gary said. "People see it and they don't do anything... There is no civic duty." Gary's case is one of several where shopworkers have been fired for confronting thieves. Last month, Sean Egan was sacked by Morrisons after nearly 30 years for tackling a repeat offender. Usdaw, the retail workers' union, told LBC it doesn't comment on individual cases but urged supermarket bosses to use discretion when employees breach policies while confronting shoplifters. General secretary Joanne Thomas said, "We know how difficult and frightening it can be for staff... we recognise that being told to stand back can be frustrating... We would not expect management to rush to a dismissal if there has been a breach of policy... Usdaw would seek for our members to be given additional support, mentoring and training." Shoplifting in the UK has hit record highs, with over 500,000 cases annually. In a recent speech, the prime minister said the "tide could be turning," citing a 17% increase in criminal charges. Major retailers are now using facial recognition technology to help police identify offenders. Although Gary has found a new job, he says he has lost out financially and emotionally. "I got to know people on a heartfelt and family-like basis... There was a real sense of love and loyalty for me and the colleagues and customers." "I know my confidence will be hurt by this, but give me time - my love for work will never change." A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "We are seeing incidents of violence, aggression and theft happening in our stores on a daily basis... We are responding by investing in extra security measures... not asking our colleagues to put their safety on the line by tackling offenders. That's why our guidance to colleagues on responding to retail crime prioritises keeping everyone in our stores safe and is specifically designed to prevent incidents from escalating." Source - LBC Discover more Food & Grocery Retailers Mass Merchants & Department Stores