Supermarket Perimeter - April 2022 - 9

Emblematic of these efforts is Hy-Vee's current
" Perfect " TV ad and social media campaign, which
features a variety of real Hy-Vee employees from
diverse backgrounds and is used predominantly
as a recruiting tool. The campaign was designed,
Buzynski said, to deliver the message that " anyone
can find their perfect job at Hy-Vee. "
When it comes to its customers, Hy-Vee's
overarching goal is to make sure that everyone who comes
into a Hy-Vee store feels valued and welcome.
" This includes having unique products that residents in a store's
neighborhood may enjoy or are important to their culture, " Buzynski
said. " This is where our store autonomy comes into play. Each store has
a distinct customer base and is able to stock products that are attractive
to the residents in their individual communities. "
In 2020, the company solidified its outreach efforts with the creation
of a Community and Diversity Relations department, which is specifically
devoted to making progress in diversity, equity and inclusion.
One of the first initiatives of the department was diversity and
inclusion training for employees in retail stores and at the Hy-Vee
corporate offices.
That was followed by a program called Cultural Conversations,
monthly programming that features panels and guest speakers on
topics ranging from Juneteenth and Women's History Month to
community activism and advocacy for people with disabilities.
In 2021, Hy-Vee sponsored an event in central Iowa called the
Black and Brown Business Summit, powered by the West Des Moines
Chamber of Commerce.
" It presented a great opportunity to champion both
entrepreneurialism and diversity and inclusion efforts as part of their
business, " Buzynski said. " Hy-Vee has also recently ramped up efforts
to support locally-owned and black-owned businesses through our
quarterly Best of Local Brands summits. "
Through those summits, she added, Hy-Vee has forged strong
relationships with minority-owned suppliers.
Hy-Vee's commitment to racial diversity also includes a partnership,
now in its second year, with the Page Education Foundation, which
provides academic scholarships and mentoring opportunities to 45
post-secondary students in Minnesota.
These Hy-Vee Accelerate Scholars have visited stores, met with
company leaders and participated in professional development
programs focused on job readiness. Hy-Vee employees have served
as mentors or interacted with the Hy-Vee Accelerate Scholars in their
stores, whether when they have visited on field trips or through a
summer internship program.
Standing together
Cincinnati-based Kroger's Framework for Action: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strives to reflect the communities the retail giant
serves and to foster a culture that " empowers everyone to be their true self, inspires collaboration, and feeds the human spirit. "
Pillars of the program include:
CREATE a more
inclusive culture. Create
a DE&I Advisory
Council to advance the
company's long-term
DE&I commitments,
reporting to senior
leadership, and
provide unconscious
bias training to every
leader in 2020 and
DEI training for
every associate.
DEVELOP diverse
talent. Improve diverse
talent recruiting
by partnering with
Historically Black
Colleges & Universities,
Hispanic Association
Colleges & 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 that
media partners align
with Kroger's values
and that the company
reaches diverse
customers through
its marketing spend,
partners and strategy.
supermarketperimeter.com
ADVANCE equitable
communities. Deploy
funds to support
impactful approaches
to advance racial
equity with community
partners. Encourage
associates to vote
and provide voter
registration/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.
APRIL 2022 - 9
Hy-Vee's DEI efforts
include aggressive
outreach to minorityowned
suppliers.

http://www.supermarketperimeter.com

Supermarket Perimeter - April 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Supermarket Perimeter - April 2022