Even though retail has gone through massive changes in the past decades, there’s been one charity that has maintained its dedication to supporting the people behind the counters for nearly two centuries. And that charity is the Retail Trust. Chris Brook-Carter is a seasoned professional, and CEO of the Retail Trust, with deep roots in the retail sector. We met him for a conversation where he shared insights on the mission of the Retail Trust and the importance of championing well-being in the industry. This interview sheds light on the challenges, partnerships and the future of retail.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and what led you to join Retail Trust?
Chris: I’ve been involved in retail for most of my career. I trained as a journalist, focusing on business journalism from as early as 1997, and I found myself covering the retail- and the food and beverages industries right from the start. Over the years, I spent nearly a decade as the editor-in-chief and managing director of Retail Week and the World Retail Congress, a leading trade publication here in the UK. I’ve always loved retail for its people, its entrepreneurial and competitive nature, and its strong sense of identity. So, when the opportunity to join the Retail Trust came about five years ago, I really wanted to give back to an industry that had given me so much. It was a chance to modernise an organisation with nearly 200 years of heritage and ensure it remains relevant for the future, which felt very exciting to me.
Empowering the individuals
Was the focus on well-being and happiness something you prioritised before joining Retail Trust, considering your experience in the competitive side of retail?
Chris: Yes, definitely. I’ve always believed that despite all the technological advances in retail over the last 20 years, it remains a people-led industry. The sectors, such as hospitality and food and beverage, rely on strong customer relationships, which are created and built by the staff. The people on the frontline are essentially the brand custodians. From the start, I recognized that any work we did at the Trust needed to center around the individuals. We knew that the industry would ultimately thrive if the people within it thrived. It took about a year to shape our ’Hope, Health and Happiness’ mission statement, but it was clear that the industry’s success depends on the well-being of its people.
Speaking of “Hope, Health and Happiness”, how did you decide on those words and what do they signify?
Chris: Our organization has a long and rich history, and we’re lucky to have records that go back to its foundation. One document that truly stands out is an article in The Times from January 3, 1832, which detailed the first meeting of our original trustees. It revealed the core of our founders’ vision—linking the happiness of workers to the industry’s economic health. They wanted to promote integrity, empower individuals, and strive for widespread, positive social change. The words ’hope, health and happiness’ resonated throughout that early mission, and it felt only natural to bring them forward as our guiding principle today.
The connection between happiness and business success
Do you feel like today’s retailers are aligned with these values, or do they need reminders of their importance?
Chris: Many successful retailers understand that their brand’s power lies with their people. However, it hasn’t always been easy to connect economic success directly to happiness. Our work at the Trust has focused on providing data that shows how engaged, happy and healthy employees contribute to reducing turnover, minimizing absences, and ultimately boosting sales. We’ve developed a data and AI platform to help tell this story and guide retailers in pulling the right levers to support their people and create a happier and more engaged workforce.
Increasing respect in retail
Retail Trust recently released statistics highlighting the rising level of abuse toward retail workers. What have you seen, and what can be done to address this?
Chris: It’s a significant issue. Our data shows that one in three retail workers face some sort of abuse weekly, with 90% having experienced it in the past year. Alarmingly, around 40% are considering leaving the industry due to this aggression. We’ve launched the Retail Trust’s respect retail campaign to tackle this problem on two fronts. First, we’re advocating for better training and policies within companies to help staff manage and mitigate the impact of those kinds of incidents. This includes de-escalation techniques and mental health support. Second, we’re working to change consumer behavior through public messaging, reminding shoppers that retail workers are humans who are doing their best and deserve respect and dignity.
What can managers do to create more supportive environments for their teams?
Chris: Training, especially for first-line managers, is a good choice. Often, these managers are young, promoted for their technical skills, not necessarily their leadership qualities. At the Retail Trust, we offer accredited courses focusing on leadership in mental health, self-harm prevention, domestic abuse awareness, and more. These skills help managers build psychologically safe workplaces that encourage happier and more engaged teams.
Do retail workers have a role in creating their own engagement and happiness?
Chris: Absolutely. Businesses need to provide tools and support, but personal responsibility is still very important. You can’t force people to be healthier, but you do need to give them access to the right education to make better choices. One way people in retail can better themselves is by trying our happiness assessment tool. It benchmarks individuals against industry standards and provides personalised plans for improving their well-being.
The future of retail
Retail Trust has partnered with Maze, a company with similar values. What motivated this partnership, and what potential do you see?
Chris: We’re in a good spot where we can be picky about the businesses that we work with. And we only work with organizations that share our values and share our collective mission around fostering thriving individuals and a better industry. With Maze, it was clear from the beginning that we shared a common vision. We liked their passion for giving colleagues a sense of pride in the work they’re doing and giving them feedback on how to improve. It felt like a natural fit for us, to collectively go to the market to demonstrate and prove that happiness does create better economics, both at the top and the bottom-line level.
Finally, where do you see the retail industry heading in the next 5 to 15 years?
Chris: Everybody is already talking about AI, but that will be my answer also. How will the retail industry use AI to drive the sector forward? I think it’s going to be fascinating. But even though data will play an even bigger role in improving margins and performance, we still need to be a people first industry. Companies will also try to find the right balance between e-commerce and brick-and-mortar, with physical stores playing new roles as distribution centers and collections points. The key will be nurturing the workforce and valuing their contributions.
Your next step
Do you have any questions, or would you like to start a partnership with Maze or the Retail Trust? Contact our Retail Trust Ambassador Tomas Pinås, and he can answer any questions you might have: tomas@mymaze.com
