Statement of Community Giving
Challenge
We recognized that while our current practice for evaluating philanthropic giving did not engage with organizations that had written policies of discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity, but had not publicly stated this as a pillar of our community engagement.
Actions
In 2019, Meijer changed its official corporate giving language to reflect our current practices and company values. The formally-adopted Statement of Corporate Giving is “Meijer provides charitable support to organizations that align with our values, commitment to diversity & inclusion and prohibitions against discrimination.”
As a company, Meijer empowers each of its retail locations to make donations to enrich the communities in which they serve. The Statement of Corporate Giving is listed on each request and must be agreed to in order to be eligible for a donation. Additionally, Meijer added Diversity & Inclusion dimensions to our corporate giving tracking metrics and alignment qualifications. These categories allow us to track metrics to ensure our philanthropic investments in the community are reflective of all diversity dimensions.
Outcomes
The decision to officially state Meijer only supports organizations that prohibit discrimination helped in Meijer’s recognition on the Human Rights Commission Corporate Equity Index for LGBTQ Equality at 100%.
Contact
Tim Williams
Quote
We’ve been on our Diversity & Inclusion journey at Meijer for some time now, and we know that when we practice inclusive behaviors and invite a diverse range of perspectives, insights and experiences, our company is stronger. We must ensure that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of our business, including our relationships with our team members, our suppliers, our customers and the communities we serve.