CINCINNATI, Nov. 28,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR),
America's grocer, today announced its Board of Directors has been
named a top 20 finalist for the 2022 NACD Diversity, Equity &
Inclusion Awards. The awards recognize boards that have improved
their governance and created long-term value for stakeholders by
implementing forward-thinking diversity, equity and inclusion
(DE&I) practices.
"We believe this work is never complete," said Ronald Sargent, Lead Director and former
Staples, Inc. Chair and CEO. "Under the board's leadership, we have
achieved important progress and we will continue to support
investments and policies that improve diversity, equity and
inclusion for Kroger associates and our communities. The Board is
honored to be recognized by NACD."
Kroger's Board of Directors holds management accountable for
delivering and executing the company's DE&I goals and
encourages continued investments to achieve measurable change,
including its ongoing commitment to develop a workforce that better
reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of the communities served
by Kroger. The Board of Directors is an independent board, with 64
percent of the body representing diversity by gender or
race/ethnicity.
"Kroger has worked to achieve great strides in creating an
equitable boardroom," said NACD president and CEO Peter Gleason. "NACD is proud to honor the
Kroger Board of Directors for advancing DE&I in their boardroom
and throughout their organization."
"As America's grocer, Kroger is driven to bring Americans
together as an employer, grocery provider and community partner,
representing Our Purpose to Feed the Human Spirit," said
Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman
and CEO. "We are proud to receive this recognition; however,
our work continues. We will continue to listen, learn and act to
transform our culture and our communities. I am especially proud of
our associates who embody Our Values and so honestly shared their
insights that were instrumental in shaping Kroger's Framework
for Action."
In 2020, Kroger established the Framework for Action:
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion plan to accelerate and
promote greater change. The plan features five areas of focus:
Create More Inclusive Culture
Kroger strives to
reflect the communities it serves and foster a culture that
empowers everyone to be their true self, inspires collaboration and
feeds the human spirit. To advance Kroger's long-term
DE&I commitments, the grocer established a DE&I Advisory
council that reports to senior leadership and aligns with the
organization's transformation and innovation focus. Kroger
has also successfully provided unconscious bias training to
all company leaders, and nearly half a million associates have
completed training courses in DE&I.
Develop Diverse Talent
Kroger continues to
intentionally recruit, develop and advance diverse talent at every
level of the business, including leadership. Kroger
works with 53 Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
and institutions serving Hispanic, Asian American and Pacific
Islander and Native American students.
As part of this commitment, the grocer established a two-way
mentorship and advocacy program between various associates who
represent diverse talent and senior leaders. This two-way
mentorship program supports the professional development of these
associates and provides leaders with more opportunities to listen,
learn and act, further accelerating organizational change. In 2022,
Kroger adopted a performance measure for every leader to actively
mentor and develop at least one associate with a different
background different from their own.
Diverse Partnerships
The grocer, which has
achieved Billion Dollar Roundtable status for 14
consecutive years, is committed to building an inclusive, equitable
and sustainable supply chain through its award-winning
Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Program. In
2021, Kroger spent $4
billion with diverse suppliers and has promised to increase
that spend to $10 billion annually by
2030.
Additionally, Kroger is committed to reviewing its portfolio of
media collaborators on an ongoing basis to ensure relationships
align with Kroger's Our Values and diverse customers are
reached through marketing spend, collaborations and strategy.
Advance Equitable Communities
In 2021, as part
of the Framework for Action, Kroger
allocated $5 million to
The Kroger Co. Foundation to establish a new Racial
Equity Fund with the mission to lift up communities of color by
building sustainable partnerships that create more equitable,
inclusive and stronger communities. Under this Fund, Kroger
launched the Build It Together grant
challenge. The challenge invited 14 organizations to submit
proposals on strategic actions and initiatives to advance racial
equality. Four organizations, including Black Girl
Ventures, Everytable, LISC and
the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, were each
selected to receive a $1 million
grant.
In 2022, Kroger contributed an additional $5 million to the Fund and has directed a total
of $5.1 million in grants to
non-profit organizations advancing meaningful change.
To create a culture of civic engagement, Kroger encourages
associates to register and exercise their right to vote. By
providing nonpartisan resources and agreed-to flexible work
schedules, associates can prioritize voting.
Deeply Listen and Report Progress
Kroger is
committed to the continued engagement of external stakeholders to
seek perspectives and co-create more just and equitable
communities. Since the development of the Framework for
Action, company leaders have engaged in dozens of
one-to-one conversations with local and national community
influencers as well as organizations, policymakers, trade
associations, small business owners and chambers of commerce,
seeking insights and guidance to transform Kroger's
culture and the communities it serves.
The grocer has also pledged to provide associates with platforms
to continue sharing their stories and feedback with leaders,
conducting more than 30 listening sessions and introducing a new
interactive platform for associates at all levels to express their
ideas on how Kroger can become a more inclusive and equitable
workplace. The insights gathered were instrumental in creating the
Framework for Action.
In addition to measuring the progress of Framework for
Action, Kroger evaluates specific DE&I outcomes that are
influenced by areas of focus. The improvement of recruiting,
retention rates and staffing of diverse associates across all
levels of the organization are assessed on a quarterly basis.
Visit the NACD DE&I Awards site to learn more about the gala
and other 2022 NACD Diversity, Equity and Inclusion award
finalists. Winners will be announced at the NACD DE&I Awards
Gala at Gotham Hall in New York
City on Wednesday, December 7,
2022.
For more information on NACD's commitment to the advancement of
DE&I at the board level, and for further insights, trends, and
perspectives on this issue, please visit the NACD Center for
Inclusive Governance™ and the NACD Diversity, Equity &
Inclusion Resource Center.
About Kroger
At
The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated
to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our
family of companies nearly half a million associates who serve over
11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping
experience and retail food stores under a variety
of banner names, serving America through food
inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste
communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit
our newsroom and investor
relations site.
About NACD
The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is the
premier membership organization for board directors who want to
expand their knowledge, grow their network, and maximize their
potential.
As the unmatched authority in corporate governance, NACD sets
the standards of excellence through its research and
community-driven director education, programming, and publications.
Directors trust NACD to arm them with the relevant insights to make
high-quality decisions on the most pressing and strategic issues
facing their businesses today.
NACD also prepares leaders to meet tomorrow's biggest
challenges. The NACD Directorship Certification® is the
leading director credential in the United
States. It sets a new standard for director education,
positions directors to meet boardroom challenges, and includes an
ongoing education requirement that prepares directors for what is
next.
With an ever-expanding community of more than 23,000 members and
a nationwide chapter network, our impact is both local and global.
NACD members are driven by a common purpose: to be trusted
catalysts of economic opportunity and positive change—in business
and in the communities we serve. To learn more about NACD,
visit www.nacdonline.org.
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SOURCE The Kroger Co.