Here For What Matters: Supporting Diversity & Inclusion

At the core of Dollar General (DG)’s mission of Serving Others is the belief that a diverse workplace and an inclusive culture foster an environment where DG’s customers, employees, leaders and communities alike can feel empowered. We believe in putting people first, with respect for each individual’s dignity and differences, and that our diverse teams are a strategic advantage and allow us to better serve our customers and communities.

“We know that diversity and inclusion is critical to our continued success and integrated into the fabric of our mission to serve everyone,” says Dr. Johné Battle, senior vice president and chief diversity officer. “We’re proud to make a difference in the communities we call home by fostering an environment where employees are encouraged and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work, where customers can find relevant products on our shelves and where our communities feel valued.”

Each day, we embody our purpose-driven mission to build on a core value of “Respecting the dignity and differences of others” and an operating priority of “Investing in our diverse teams through development, empowerment and inclusion” as we seek to create a work environment where each employee feels empowered to bring their unique perspectives and voices to work each day while able to grow their careers.

As such, DG practices inclusion through a range of initiatives for our employees, customers, and communities. 

Employees

Employee Resource Groups: DG celebrates and provides a platform for its diverse voices and ideas through its five Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are organized around chosen commonalities — AAERG (African American ERG), DGYP (young professionals), EQUAL (LGBTQIA+), SERVE (military members and families) and WPN (Women’s Professional Network) — and available to store, distribution center, transportation and corporate employees, expanding representation and active engagement for all DG employees. Each ERG works to promote awareness, give back to local communities and build a more inclusive culture consistent with DG’s mission and core values.

My Difference Makes a Difference (MDMAD): DG launched a storytelling initiative for employees to highlight transformative personal stories. By sharing personal stories, employees expressed how they embraced authenticity, how their different dimensions of diversity make a difference and how showing their authentic selves helped to unlock their potential at work. 

·       Brian shares his story as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, detailing how he felt it was difficult to interview for roles as his authentic self. That changed when he started at DG. He says, “we're celebrating our inclusiveness, and I think that makes DG a more attractive place for folks to work.”

·       Cali, a native of Nigeria, shares details about his life as an immigrant and his DG journey. “Being a kid from a third world country, I faced so many challenges, but I will keep growing beyond my imagination,” said Cali. “Every day, I wake up and think about how far you can go in the Company, regardless of where you come from.”

Employee Training: At DG, we believe diversity and inclusion starts at the highest level, and we have focused on equipping leaders to lead cultural transformation to inspire inclusivity at every level. This journey began with DG’s executive team and has since been rolled out to employees across the organization with a company-wide conscious inclusion training program.

DG enhances its development programs each year based on employee and business needs, offering a variety of differentiated programs, including mentorship, cohorts, and leader‐led and experiential opportunities to ensure there is a path of development for all employees, regardless of their background.  By facilitating and enhancing these trainings annually, DG continues to bring diverse individuals together in a space where their perspectives and experiences are both heard and valued.

·       In FY 2023, the Company expanded its Develop To Lead mentorship program, which helps accelerate the development of talent through experience, exposure, education and advocacy. DG also develops and retains female talent through its Women in Leadership Masterclass.

Customers

With more than 20,000 stores across 48 states, DG welcomes and serves diverse customers and communities. The Company believes its business should reflect the diverse communities where its customers live and work, including the products it sells.

DG’s Supplier Diversity program centers on three key pillars – inclusive sourcing, processes and capacity building – and defines diverse suppliers as U.S. owned businesses with at least 51% ownership and operation by a female, minority, LGBTQIA+ community member, veteran and/or a person with a disability. DG recently recognized several suppliers with awards during its inaugural Supplier Diversity Summit.

To reinforce DG's commitment to ensuring an inclusive environment that minimizes barriers to participation in the company’s procurement process, it has partnered with a third-party financial institution to implement tools that provide opportunities for minority-owned businesses to access capital and accelerate cash flows.

Communities

Our work to improve literacy impacts all, including underrepresented talent, and our continuous investments in programs to extend hope and empower others is demonstrated with help of community partners. We see the potential to create lasting change by living our mission of Serving Others and respecting each person for who they are — and for who they can become.

Partnerships and Investments: DG’s diversity and inclusion principles benefit external stakeholders through the Company’s investments in programs by and partnerships with organizations that extend hope and empower others, including Operation HOPE, INROADS, Equal Justice Initiative, Opportunity Now, Hispanic Latino Professionals Association and more.

·       In 2024, INROADS presented Dollar General with its prestigious Frank C. Carr award, recognizing the Company’s $3 million in donations to support its innovative leadership development programs and creative solutions that identify, accelerate and elevate underrepresented talent.

Education Opportunities: DG recognizes the myriad of top talent from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through year-round recruitment efforts, on-campus events and scholarships. Through these relationships, DG is working to create a pipeline of opportunity for students.  

·       In 2023, DG’s HBCU Recruiting Team participated in move in days and other events at HBCUs across the country, resulting in DG recruiting and onboarding 11 summer 2023 interns from 10 different HBCUs.

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Together, our differences make all the difference in building a world inspired by Serving Others. As DG continues to make strides, the Company recently received eight recognitions for its commitment throughout its D&I journey:  

·       2024 INROADS Benefit Gala Frank C. Carr Award (May 2024)

·       Women's Choice Award's Best Companies to Work For – Inclusion (March 2024)

·       DiversityComm’s Top LGBTQ Friendly Companies (November 2023)

·       Nashville Business Journal Leaders in Diversity - Companies & Organizations (October 2023)

·       Diversity Woman Media’s Best Companies for Women (July 2023)

·       Newsweek/Plant-A-Insights Group’s America’s Greatest Workplaces for LGBTQ+ (April 2023)

·       Newsweek America's Greatest Workplaces for LGBTQ+ (March 2023)

·       Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index (January 2023)