“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. “Over the last several months, we’ve listened closely to our half a million associates and countless communities across the nation. It’s never been clearer that our collective energy is necessary to achieve true and lasting equality.”
Kroger’s plan features five focus areas: create more inclusive culture, develop diverse talent, advance diverse partnerships, advance equitable communities and deeply listen and report progress.
“Kroger welcomes associates from every race, culture, and ability, and we remain deeply focused on creating a more equitable workplace where every associate is empowered and supported and feels valued and a sense of belonging,” said Tim Massa, Kroger’s SVP and chief people officer. “And while diversity and inclusion have been longstanding Kroger values, this year has certainly served as an awakening. As an organization driven by purpose, we know we not only must continue to listen to our associates, but we must act. When we see our associates, customers and neighbors affected by systemic racism, discrimination and injustice, we are called to speak out and act in accordance with Our Values: Honesty & Integrity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Safety & Respect.”
The breakdown of Kroger’s 10 Immediate Actions through its Framework for Action: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan is as follows:
Create more inclusive culture
• Create a DE&I Advisory Council to advance our long-term DE&I commitments, reporting to senior leadership.
• Provide Unconscious Bias training to every leader in 2020 and DE&I training for every associate by May 2021.
Develop diverse talent
• Improve diverse talent recruiting by partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Association Colleges and Universities and community colleges.
• Establish two-way mentorship and advocacy program between high-potential diverse talent and senior leaders.
Advance diverse partnerships
• Increase spend with diverse suppliers from $3.4 billion to $10 billion by 2030.
• Ensure our media partners align with Our Values and that we reach diverse customers through our marketing spend, partners and strategy.
Advance equitable communities
• Deploy funds to support impactful approaches to advance racial equity with community partners.
• Encourage associates to vote and provide voter registration and ballot applications in stores.
Deeply listen and report progress
• Engage external stakeholders to seek perspective and co-create more just and equitable communities.
• Provide associates with platforms to continue sharing their stories and feedback with our leaders.
Kroger will continue to create and provide opportunities for associates to share their ideas and feedback with the organization through various channels, including town halls, listening sessions and surveys as well as focus groups hosted by the organization’s research and development and merchandising teams that will respectively continue to help develop new products and perfect flavor profiles and identify potential gaps in brand and product representation on shelves for purchase.
