Couche-Tard Receives Nod as 'Exceptional Workplace'

LAVAL, Quebec — Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has received the 2022 Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award (GEWA), the first time the retailer has been honored as a winner. The GEWA recognizes the world's most engaged workplace cultures, and Couche-Tard, the only convenience retailer among this year's honorees, was honored for its "One Team" culture focused on putting its people and customers first.

As workplaces worldwide faced continuing historic upheaval, Couche-Tard stood out in its ability to engage and develop its people amid the disruption, Gallup stated.

"Gallup's 2022 GEWA winners have steered their organizations through another unprecedented and challenging year. They didn't slow down or hit 'pause' during times of uncertainty. They stayed true to their organizational values. Gallup commends all of the 2022 GEWA winners for their resiliency, determination and commitment to making their people a priority," said Jim Harter, Gallup's chief scientist of workplace management and wellbeing.

The GEWA winners' ratio of engaged employees to actively disengaged employees is 13 times higher than the global average, meaning employees committed to their work and connected to their workplace. Just 34 percent of employees in the U.S. workforce are engaged. However, the Gallup employee engagement survey found 60 percent engagement among Couche-Tard employees.

"To be recognized as a Gallup exceptional workplace among such prestigious global honorees is a proud moment for Alimentation Couche-Tard," said Brian Hannasch, president and CEO of Couche-Tard. "Protecting and promoting Alimentation Couche-Tard's winning culture is a top priority for us, and we have worked hard, together as One Team, to create a highly engaged workforce and company that has only become better and stronger through the challenges of recent years."

Gallup's meta-analysis on team engagement and performance is the most comprehensive workplace study ever conducted, with data on more than 2 million employees in 276 organizations across 54 industries and 96 countries, according to the research firm. Highly engaged organizations significantly outperform their peers in important business outcomes, including customer ratings, profitability, productivity, turnover, safety incidents, shrinkage, absenteeism, quality, well-being and organizational citizenship.

"At Couche-Tard, we strive to foster an environment in which our team members feel valued, heard and respected, seize opportunities for their personal and professional growth and embrace their vital role in the growth and success of our business," said Ina Strand, chief people officer for Couche-Tard. "The Gallup employee engagement survey — that we call myVOICE — has become a tremendous tool for listening to the needs and concerns of our people and setting annual action plans to address them, and we are delighted to see our efforts recognized this year by our first-ever GEWA."

Laval-based Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. operates in 26 countries and territories, with more than 14,100 stores, of which approximately 10,800 offer road transportation fuel. With its well-known Couche-Tard and Circle K banners, it is one of the largest independent convenience store operators in the United States, as well as Canada, Scandinavia and the Baltics, as well as in Ireland.

It also has an important presence in Poland and Hong Kong SAR. Approximately 124,000 people are employed throughout its network.