Sainsbury’s chairman lambasted for using staff to revamp country home
Sainsbury's chairman David Tyler has been taken to task by the company board for using a supermarket employee and supplier to help refurbish his country home in East Sussex.
Tyler, who was appointed chairman in 2009, was given a warning by the board after an internal investigation found that a Sainsbury's employee and supplier helped in the installation of an underfloor heating system at his barn conversion in southern England.
Sainsbury's hasn't taken any action against Tyler but he has donated £5,000 to charity to acknowledge the work done by the supermarket employee.
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In a statement, Sainsbury's said: "This is a historical case dating back to 2013.
"The chairman volunteered the information and the board conducted a thorough investigation in line with company policy, as they would with any other colleague in the same circumstances.
"As a result of the investigation, the chairman was given a warning but the board concluded that his failure to comply with company policy was unintentional, that he did not act dishonestly and made no financial gain."
Earlier this month, the supermarket said like-for-like retail sales went up 0.1 per cent in the third quarter. It got a boost during the Christmas period with over £1bn in sales across the group.
In November, Sainsbury's poached Poundland chief executive Kevin O'Byrne for its chief financial officer role.