Her Royal Highness was invited to the site to look around the facility and talk to colleagues about the excellent health and wellbeing benefits within the workplace at the GXO ASOS site.
The site, which employs more than 3,000 people and is Barnsley’s largest private employer, has long been recognised for its commitment to health, safety and colleague wellbeing and has held a Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold Award for Health and Safety consistently each year since 2016.
During the visit, Her Royal Highness was given a tour of the warehouse and met with GXO colleagues to discuss the comprehensive health and wellbeing facilities available to all colleagues. These include an occupational health therapist, onsite counsellor and a free gym, alongside quiet and relaxation spaces and a subsidised canteen. Employee benefits also include flexible shift options, regular HR surgeries and workshops covering topics such as financial resilience, mental health awareness and healthy lifestyles.
2025 also marks ten years of apprenticeships at Houghton Main. The Princess Royal met with 2 apprentices, who are currently enrolled in programmes across areas such as warehousing and storage, team leadership and business support. Over the past decade, the apprenticeship scheme has helped 357 colleagues gain recognised qualifications while progressing into skilled and leadership roles across GXO.
As part of a shared commitment to improving access to work, ASOS and GXO have also pledged to support 20 economically inactive candidates through the Pathways to Work Commission and Barnsley Council’s Inclusive Economy Board. These programmes align with the UK Government’s Keep Britain Working initiative, which highlights the important role employers play in encouraging healthy practices across the workforce.
Working with local partners, ASOS and GXO will provide tailored training, coaching and workplace experience to help participants build confidence and skills, with the aim of supporting them into sustainable employment at the Barnsley site and beyond.
Russell Atkinson, MD for Fashion and Apparel, GXO UK&I, said: “We’re proud to work with ASOS to create a workplace where our colleagues feel supported and can thrive. It was a real privilege to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to Barnsley today and highlight that looking after people’s health, safety and resilience is a top priority for us at GXO.”
Chris Smith, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain at ASOS said: “We’re committed to being a responsible employer that supports people right across the UK. It was a pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness to our fulfilment centre today and showcase the work we’re doing, together with GXO, to put our commitments into practice and deliver a positive impact for people and the local community.”
