Southeastern Grocers Broadens DEI Support
It’s the gift that keeps on giving: Florida-based retailer Southeastern Grocers, Inc., is expanding its charitable focus to include more support of belonging, inclusion and diversity efforts. Southeastern Grocers and its SEG Gives Foundation pledged to support more causes that strengthen communities and help eliminate long-standing barriers.
“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.” Southeastern Grocers announced the expansion of its charitable efforts on the same day that the organization sponsored the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Day Foundation Holiday Grand Parade in its hometown of Jacksonville, Fla.
One of the winners of Progressive Grocer's inaugural Impact Awards, Southeastern Grocers has continually added to its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in recent years. In 2020, the grocer created the Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity grant program, named for a beloved longtime Winn-Dixie associate; since the grant was introduced, the retailer has funded 33 nonprofit organizations with $385,000 to help address racial disparities in education, health care and food insecurity. In 2021, the company hosted its first We SEG Conference with a diverse panel of experts providing insights on a range of topics.
In total, Southeastern Grocers, the SEG Gives Foundation and its customers donated $5.5 million to communities last year to fund military, health and local community initiatives, including support for 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 more.
Southeastern Grocers is one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the United States, with grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serving communities throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. The company is No. 43 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
