Industry Marks International Women’s Day, Women’s History Month
Several retailers and food industry companies are honoring the contributions of women for Women’s History Month (March), and held events to observe International Women’s Day (March 8).
On International Women’s Day, Walmart unveiled a $3 million investment in the Girls Who Code program, an educational program that helps retain girls in the science and coding fields to help grow the tech talent pipeline, which is heavily male-dominated. The Bentonville, Ark.-based mega-retailer, which ranks No. 1 on Progressive Grocer’s Super 50 list of top grocers in the United States, also released a video, "They Have the Spark," highlighting how women have been promoted through the ranks at Walmart.
The Kroger Co., which ranks second on Progressive Grocer’s ranking of top grocers, is celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting the impact and influence women have across its business through celebratory events and empowering women through sharing the stories of women within the company and those who supply products. Every Monday, Kroger will spotlight a new woman on its KrogerStories.com site, who will share her story, such as Lisa Black who has been a driver for Ralph’s for 28 years.
“I’m passionate about identifying, developing and advancing talent across our dynamic organization. I also admire and appreciate all the women who are leading positive change in our business and society,” said Lanell Ohlinger, VP of talent development, paying tribute to Kroger’s more than 50 percent female workforce. “My 19-year career with Kroger is an illustration that we are a company that supports the development of women, whether you're pursuing a STEM, retail, corporate, human resources, manufacturing or logistics profession. At Kroger, you can have a career with promise.”
On International Women’s Day, the grocer illuminated its downtown Cincinnati headquarters with the Venus symbol, displaying its commitment to uplifting women in the workplace.
Krasdale Foods, a White Plains, N.Y.-based grocery distributor and services provider, hosted its first annual ladies luncheon and casino event on International Women's Day to honor its female storeowners and businesswomen in the grocery space. Proceeds and optional donations from the event went to support Win and its mission to help New York's homeless women and their children rebuild their lives.
“We have always made it a priority to highlight the outstanding women at Krasdale,” said Dylana Silver, director of marketing at Alpha I Marketing, an affiliate of Krasdale Foods Inc. “While we celebrate women every day at Krasdale, this specific day provides us an opportunity to come together for a good cause.”
