Kroger Named One of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality for the Second Consecutive Year

Human Rights Campaign Foundation recognizes company for second consecutive perfect score on 2020 Corporate Equality Index

News provided by

The Kroger Co.

Jan 21, 2020, 09:01 ET

CINCINNATI, Jan. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) today announced it earned its second consecutive perfect score on the 2020 Corporate Equality Index, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation's national benchmarking tool for corporate policies and practices supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) employees.

The annual survey assesses non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care, competency programs and public engagement with the LGBTQ community. Kroger met or exceeded all Corporate Equality Index criteria, resulting in a perfect score of 100 and designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

"Kroger is extremely proud that HRC has once again recognized our unwavering commitment to promoting and celebrating diversity, inclusion and belonging across our company, our industry and our communities," said Tim Massa, Kroger's senior vice president and chief people officer. "This recognition reinforces the people-first, inclusive culture that we've built at Kroger. It's also a testament to the LGBTQ associates and allies who have shown us what we do well and where we can improve."

Kroger's LGBTQ Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Highlights:

Kroger offers an associate resource group, providing an uplifting community for LGBTQ employees and allies
Kroger provides same-sex partner benefits and transgender-inclusive health care
Kroger partners with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce to create and enhance partnerships with LGBTQ suppliers
Kroger achieved Billion Dollar Roundtable status for reaching more than $1 billion in spend with certified minority- and women-owned suppliers
Kroger ranked 13^th on Omnikal's 2019 Omni50 list, which recognizes America's top 50 corporate and government buyers of products and services from inclusive and diverse suppliers
Kroger ranked fourth on The Wall Street Journal's list of the top 20 most diverse Fortune 500 companies
Kroger was named Company of the Year for Corporate Equality by HRC's Greater Cincinnati Chapter, recognizing the company's commitment to diversity and inclusion in the region that features its corporate headquarters and more than 21,000 Kroger associates

"We will continue to put action behind our words to ensure every Kroger associate is empowered to be their true self at work," added Massa. "There is great power in recognizing our unconscious biases, learning from each other and listening to understand, so we can best support the people who matter most: our associates."

The Human Rights Campaign is the nation's largest LGBTQ civil rights organization that envisions a world where LGBTQ people are ensured equality at home, work and in every community.

For more information on the 2020 Corporate Equality Index, or to download a free copy of the report, visit www.hrc.org/cei.

About The Kroger Co.
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and 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 shopping experience under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.