InformationWeek: Walgreens leads all retailers in utilizing technology
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday announced that it ranked 29th on this year’s InformationWeek 500, a list of the top technology innovators in the United States. Additionally, Walgreens was the highest-ranked company in the retail/general merchandising category. The annual list was unveiled at last night’s InformationWeek 500 conference in California.
Walmart was the only other mass retailer listed in the top 100 with its ranking of 63. Procter & Gamble (ranked No. 8) and Colgate-Palmolive (No. 50), were the only consumer packaged goods companies to crack the top 100.
This marks the first time that Walgreens has been ranked in the top 30 by the magazine; last year, it was ranked 153 overall and third among those in retail/general merchandising last year.
“This is great recognition for the innovative technology work we’ve done to position Walgreens at the forefront of the changing healthcare industry,” stated Tim Theriault, Walgreens chief information officer. “With an expanding suite of healthcare services, our IT organization is developing a platform for the future as part of Walgreens' mission to be a leading destination for health and daily living needs.”
Walgreens' IT team recently began Walgreens 2.0, a multiyear initiative to enhance the company’s technology infrastructure across multiple platforms, including its network of more than 7,700 stores. The project comprises several key components, including:
New data center — the new center will feature new technology and bring added capacity, Walgreens reported;
Scalable healthcare platform – connecting data across the Walgreens network that leverages new technology to support and further the company’s transformation as a health and daily living destination;
Next-generation store technology — new store applications, technology and point-of-sale systems to enhance customer service and the overall shopping experience for customers; and
Internal technology enhancements — email, Web conferencing and mobile upgrades to improve productivity and efficiency.
The InformationWeek 500 rankings are unique among corporate rankings as it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than identifying the largest IT spenders, Walgreens noted.