Winning Group head of sustainability and corporate social responsibility, Alice Kuepper and CEO, John Winning have been recognised among the top 10 individuals in Inside Retail’s Top 50 People in E-Commerce list, ranking sixth and seventh respectively.

Kuepper said: “I am extremely honoured to be part of Top 50 People in E-Commerce in Australia and in the top 10 alongside Winning Group CEO, John Winning. John is known to be an innovator and I am grateful for his trust and to be working in a company that has made it its mission to place sustainability at the core of its strategy.

“We have achieved a lot of great goals in sustainability over the last few years and our teams have been instrumental in this. This recognition also speaks to the judges’ understanding of the importance of sustainability in e-commerce and that we can only achieve real change, by changing the systems we operate in.

“We want to use our business and ecosystem to inspire positive change and this recognition speaks to that. Many of these initiatives are not only pioneering for our business, but also for our industry. While we are proud of what we have achieved, we also acknowledge that we still have a long way to go.”

Commenting on his accolade, John Winning said, “While I am proud to be part of the top 10 people in e-commerce, I am also delighted to have fellow Winning Group team member, Alice Kuepper, not only join me in the top 10, but also outrank me.

“This achievement demonstrates that sustainability sits at the core of our mission and our intention to use our business ecosystem as a force for good. Appliances Online has now served over 2.5 million unique customers nationwide and helped them recycle more than 80,000 tonnes of electronics and appliances through its free removal and recycling, an industry-first scheme that it has offered since I founded the business in 2005.

“Since Alice has joined the business, we have implemented many new initiatives and innovations to accelerate our sustainability efforts and achieve our mission, to create the best experiences in the world, for the world – for our customers, our team, our communities and the planet.

“Alice taking out sixth position also speaks to our company culture, which allows people to create and lead. We are a neuroscience-led business, and we use it to understand our team members on a deeply human level, to identify their superpowers and to engage and connect with them through our internally developed platforms Heelix and Deep Sphere. The unprecedented level of insights gained in real time from these platforms allows us to create a highly motivated, connected and performing team. This accolade is a testament to the outstanding contributions and the collective efforts of our talented team.”

In the last three years, Winning Group has embedded sustainability initiatives into core operations with a particular focus on ethical supply chain initiatives and waste and recycling. Appliances Online recycles more whitegoods than any other retailer in Australia and since 2022 has expanded its program to include mattress and product packaging recycling. In late 2022, Appliances Online introduced ‘efficient’ product rows on its website, an industry-first highlighting energy and/or water-efficient appliances.

Inside Retail managing editor and judge of the list, Heather McIlvaine said, “John has long been ahead of the curve in e-commerce, first, with his understanding of the importance of customer service and a personal touch in online transactions, and now, with his investment in the employee experience. His ability to anticipate change in this fast-paced industry is remarkable.”

Ecom Nation co-founder and managing director, and judge of the list, Mal Chia said, “Alice’s commitment to sustainability and innovation truly sets Winning Group apart. Her impactful work in the community is not just commendable but an example of leadership in the industry.”