Jacksonville, Florida-based Southeastern Grocers Inc. has expanded its charitable giving focus in the new year to support more causes committed to elevating belonging, inclusion and diversity and local organizations that celebrate differences and strengthen communities.
SEG’s expanded commitment to belonging, inclusion and diversity will help the grocer make a larger impact within its communities while educating the broader society and eliminating long-standing barriers.
To honor the legacy of the belonging, inclusion and diversity movement’s trailblazer, SEG sponsored the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Foundation Holiday Grand Parade in its hometown of Jacksonville and plans to further support the diverse communities of the Southeast.
“At Southeastern Grocers, we celebrate our diverse associates, customers and communities and cultivate an environment that champions inclusion and belonging within our company and the unique neighborhoods we serve,” said Anthony Hucker, president and CEO.
“Our expanded commitment to advocate for positive change will position us to elevate more deserving, like-minded organizations and support their efforts to create a more equitable society that reflects the ideals Dr. King envisioned nearly 60 years ago,” he said.
In 2020, SEG established the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity Grant Program to provide essential funding to organizations that equally support inclusivity and take meaningful action to help combat social injustice by bridging the gap of inequities faced by many individuals, families and communities.
Since the grant’s inception, SEG has provided 33 nonprofit organizations with $385,000 to help address racial disparities in education, health care and food insecurity.
Additionally, SEG annually observes and celebrates MLK Day, Black History Month, Juneteenth, Hispanic Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Pride Month and Veterans Day.
The grocer participated in four Pride festivals throughout its home state of Florida last year and was recognized by the National Diversity Council as a top employer for Latino leaders in response to its extraordinary commitment to Latinos in the workplace.
SEG is also a member of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, a supporter of the National Diversity Council CEO Antiracism Pledge and an advocate for LGBTQ Workplace Equality as a Corporate Equality Index participant.
To help associates, customers and communities celebrate diversity, SEG launched several initiatives to provide inspiration and opportunities for all community members to break barriers and push for equity, including hosting its first-ever We SEG Conference last year, an event featuring a diverse panel of experts offering educational and interactive insights on developing inclusive workplace environments, training for creating a culture of belonging and other initiatives addressing pertinent and relevant equity concerns.
The grocer also received a perfect rating on Glassdoor in the diversity and inclusion category.
The company says that it continues its long-standing commitment to support causes that are priorities to the communities it serves, including the fight against hunger, support for military service members and their families and providing relief to those affected by extreme weather and natural disasters.
SEG, together with the SEG Gives Foundation and customers of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, donated more than $5.5 million back into the community last year to support neighbors in need through various military, health and local community initiatives, including support for local food banks, The American Red Cross, Folds of Honor, the USO, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, children’s hospitals and many more.
For more information, visit segrocers.com.
For more news on SEG’s recent donations, click here.
