Diversity and inclusion to get industry focus at D&I In Grocery LIVE!

Top grocery executives will be coming together for GroceryAid’s flagship D&I in Grocery LIVE! event in September, as the lineup for the keynote discussion panel has been unveiled.

Taking place on 26 September 2025 at London’s InterContinental at The O2, this year’s event will challenge the grocery sector to set the benchmark for inclusivity, not just as a moral imperative, but as an essential commercial driver. The panel discussion will see four industry experts coming together to discuss ‘Is progress under threat? The business case for D&I in the grocery industry.’

Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts – the first CEO to join the panel in the history of the change-making event – will offer strategic insights from the retailer’s inclusion strategy. Roberts’ involvement demonstrates how diversity and inclusion (D&I) objectives align with commercial goals at the highest executive level.

He will be joined on stage by Ocado Retail CCO Amit Chitnis, who will be diving into the commercial benefits of prioritising D&I, showcasing the opportunity to drive measurable business results.

The panel will also feature innovative entrepreneurs who are redefining inclusivity in retail. 

GenM founder and CEO Heather Jackson will be sharing insights on meeting the overwhelming demand from 15.5 million menopausal women in the UK through the trusted MTick certification, while Marisa Poster, co-founder of PerfectTed, will be discussing how her own neurodivergent challenges were key to creating Europe’s first matcha green tea energy drinks, as featured on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den.

Rami Baitiéh, Morrisons CEO and GroceryAid president, will open the day’s events by highlighting the crucial role all attendees play in continuing to accelerate progress toward a truly diverse and inclusive grocery industry.

Felicity Bexton, D&I in Grocery LIVE! steering group chair and category buying manager at Tesco, said the panel reflected GroceryAid’s commitment to showing how leading in D&I could “position the grocery sector ahead of others in innovation, customer engagement and financial growth”.

”The discussion will take attendees on a journey that acknowledges the current economic and societal environment while showcasing how embedded inclusive business practices drive both commercial success and enhanced customer satisfaction,” she said.

“The fact that the panel is comprised of so many senior grocery leaders and changemakers highlights the importance of D&I as a business priority. It demonstrates that inclusive practices are not just the right thing to do – they’re essential for business success.”

Tickets to D&I in Grocery LIVE!, the largest diversity and inclusion event in the grocery sector, can be booked at diversityingrocery.co.uk/di-in-grocery-live.