Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 124
124
( 2026)
SPONSOR CONTENT
Sobeys people thrive in a culture of belonging
F
or Carol Huang,
Sobeys Inc. provided
a surprisingly smooth
integration into
Canadian society. When
the native of China moved to the
Greater Toronto Area almost 14
years ago from Australia, where
she had studied business, she
was overwhelmed by her vast
new home and by yet another
unfamiliar culture, along with
a slightly different version of
English.
But after just two weeks in
Canada, she got a job as a cashier
at Sobeys and things began to
fall into place. Her leaders and
colleagues helped her adapt to
different cultural norms and ways
of life.
My colleagues stood by
me during one of the
most difficult times of
my life. Sobeys gave
me the assurance that I
could always feel supported.
— Carol Huang
Store Manager
“They helped me learn
Canadian terms and supported
me overall. They inspired me
to want to do more. I didn’t feel
judged because I’m a woman, an
immigrant, or because my English
wasn’t perfect,” she says. “The
feeling was that I was welcome
and could grow and develop.”
In 2016, Huang enrolled in the
department manager training
Carol Huang, store manager, at Sobeys.
program. But just a week after it
began, her father suffered a stroke
and became gravely ill.
“When I got into the program, it
felt like my golden opportunity,”
she recalls. “But when my dad was
hospitalized, I thought I’d have to
drop out. It was overwhelming.”
That’s when her trainer and
teammates stepped in.
“They encouraged me to stay,
showed incredible kindness and
supported me in every way they
could. Thanks to them, I was able
to successfully finish the program.
My colleagues stood by me during
one of the most difficult times
of my life. Sobeys gave me the
assurance that I could always feel
supported.”
Since then, Huang has worked
in several stores and is now the
store manager at the Sobeys
Etobicoke location.
For more than a century, Sobeys
and its parent company, Empire
Company Limited, have been
guided by the values of a family
nurturing families. With more
than 1,600 stores across Canada
and 129,000 employees, that
commitment extends beyond
customers and includes building
a culture of inclusion, growth and
belonging from coast to coast.
“We genuinely care about our
people,” says Sandra Pasquini,
senior vice-president and chief
human resources officer. “Our
commitment to building strong
communities starts with our
stores and the teammates who
support our customers every day.
We’re dedicated to creating a
workplace where everyone feels
