Al Azizia Panda building best working environment for staff

Al Azizia Panda United, a major retail company in Saudi Arabia and a subsidiary of Savola Group, has succeeded in raising the rate of Saudization close to the high level of 39 percent of the total number of its 13,000 employees working in 140 branches of Panda and Hyper Panda around the Kingdom.
In addition to its ongoing efforts to provide job opportunities for Saudis, Al Azizia Panda has been ranked among the top five companies with the Best Work Environment in Kingdom’s commercial sector for the year 2011.
Abdulraouf Mohammed Manna, MD of The Savola Group, said: "With the praise of God, Al Azizia Panda is recognized locally and internationally for its excellent work environment. At global level, in the same year, the company won a number of awards on the Asian continent in a contest held in Singapore, where Panda received the award for best human resources strategy compatible with the company's activity, and the award for excellence in training, in competition against major international companies.”
Mowafaq Mansour Jamal, CEO of Al Azizia Panda United, said: "Since 2002, Al Azizia Panda has dedicated a significant amount of investment to Saudization, allocating a budget of SR 10 million annually and another SR 5 million a year for management training. In 2011, the company hired 5,270 Saudis compared to 1,262 non-Saudi employees. For this year, we have targeted the completion of 14 new branches in the Kingdom, which will provide 800 new jobs for young Saudis, God willing."
Last year, Al Azizia Panda conducted a field survey that included more than 90 percent of its 11,000 employees, which revealed the strengths and weaknesses in the company’s communication with its employees. Based on the results, the company launched a number of programs and initiatives, most notably an employee assessment program.