Sainsbury's chairman reprimanded for using employee on country home

LONDON (Reuters) - The board of Sainsbury's reprimanded its chairman David Tyler for using an employee of the British supermarket and a supplier to help revamp his country house, it said on Monday.

Tyler, who has been chairman of Sainsbury's since 2009, was given a warning letter by the company's board and made a 5,000 pound ($6,200) contribution to charity as recompense for the staff member's time.

No further action was taken by the company.

The case, first reported by The Guardian, related to Tyler's use of a Sainsbury's staffer and a supplier to help with the development and installation of an underfloor heating system at his barn conversion in East Sussex, southern England.

"This is a historical issue dating back to 2013. The chairman volunteered the information and the board conducted a thorough investigation in line with company policy, as they would with any other colleague in the same circumstances," Sainsbury's said in a statement.

"As a result of the investigation, the chairman was given a warning but the board concluded that his failure to comply with company policy was unintentional, that he did not act dishonestly and made no financial gain.”

Tyler is also chairman of property firm Hammerson and was finance director of GUS when it owned Argos and Burberry.

Last year Sainsbury's bought Argos owner Home Retail in a 1.1 billion pound deal.

(Reporting by James Davey, editing by Stephen Addison)