St. Louis, Mo.-based grocer Schnuck Markets announced Monday that it has earned recognition from Newsweek for its efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The report, America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2024, by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group, highlights companies across the U.S. committed to developing an inclusive workplace culture.
“Diversity is a widely discussed topic — and it remains a crucial factor as people look for an employer or a business partner,” said Nancy Cooper, global editor and chief of Newsweek, in a statement.
In 2020, Schnucks established its Unity is Power plan to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at its stores across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The company currently operates 115 stores and has approximately 12,000 employees.
The company’s Unity is Power initiative “is focused on creating a workplace where all teammates regardless of background are welcome and feel valued, while externally, it focuses on efforts to increase community support for organizations and vendors that promote racial equity,” the company said.
“Our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are more than just words on paper. It’s how we celebrate our differences and learn from each other’s experiences and how we serve the numerous communities in which we operate,” said Schnucks Senior Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Emma Lumpkins in a press release. “It’s also nourishing people’s lives by providing a welcoming work environment to our nearly 12,000 teammates whose efforts make it possible for our customers to feed their families.”
The recognition comes about a month after Schnuck Markets launched Schnucks Springboard, a business accelerator that provides resources for diverse-owned businesses.
Businesses accepted into the program will get an in-store product trial, $5,000 of funding, and business development classes at Schnuck Markets headquarters in St. Louis. The deadline to apply is May 12.
“Schnucks Springboard is our effort to reflect the communities we serve, to promote opportunity and innovation and to stimulate our economy,” said Adrian Moore, Schnucks senior director of Merchandising Enablement & Supplier Diversity in a statement. “By aligning with diverse suppliers, we are not only strengthening both our business and our communities, we are also enhancing product offerings for our customers and bolstering our ability to do business in an ever-changing environment.”
