At One Retail, we’re proud to deliver M&S excellence wherever we operate, from bustling retail spaces to the unique demands of healthcare environments. Our partnership with M&S has always been built on performance, innovation, and people-first values, and we were delighted when our site at King’s College Hospital became the very first M&S franchise store nationwide to achieve Academy accreditation.
Raising the bar in healthcare retail
The M&S Academy programme was launched to create regional centres of learning, setting a consistent “Best in Town” standard across the franchise network. Out of 480 stores nationwide, King’s College Hospital was the first to be recognised as an Academy – a milestone reflecting our proven ability to deliver at the highest level. This success was quickly followed by Royal Derby Hospital, further demonstrating that we can not only achieve but exceed M&S standards in specialist healthcare environments.
A centre for innovation
With Academy status, King’s College Hospital has become a hub for training, development, and innovation. We now support the induction and upskilling of M&S franchise colleagues, pilot new initiatives before wider rollout, and set the benchmark for excellence in customer service, operational standards, and digital-first retail experiences. The accreditation underlines our position as M&S’s leading franchise partner, proving that we can deliver excellence across both healthcare and retail settings.
People-first success
Our people are at the heart of this achievement. By investing in training, fostering inclusion, and encouraging innovation, we’ve created a healthcare retail environment where high standards are not just met but exceeded every day. As Wendy Morgan, General Manager at Royal Derby Hospital, commented:
“Investing in training to upskill my team, implementing a buddy system to ensure the team became more confident, and streamlining the back of house were all key areas we focused on to ensure our accreditation was successful. My team really did me proud and gave 120%.”
Recognition from leadership
The success of King’s College Hospital has been recognised across M&S and One Retail leadership. Our Managing Director, Andy Jones, said:
“It’s a huge honour for our King’s College team to be the first of the M&S Academy accreditation programme, shortly followed by Royal Derby. We are really proud to be an M&S partner and delighted that our teams are going to be the role model for the wider M&S franchisees.”
Shaping the future of healthcare retail companies
Looking ahead, King’s College Hospital and Royal Derby Hospital will continue to act as role models for franchise operations, serving as testbeds for new ideas and supporting the induction and development of colleagues nationwide. By proving that M&S Academy standards can thrive in NHS hospitals, we have set a strong benchmark, one that we hope inspires future healthcare retail companies as the programme expands across the country.