When Dollar General was founded in 1939 as Turner & Son Wholesale by a father-and-son duo in rural Springfield, Kentucky, it may have seemed impossible to imagine their venture becoming one of the nation’s leading retailers. Yet, the modern-day Dollar General has proven to be a true American success story.
Ranked #112 on the 2020 Fortune 500 list, today’s Dollar General extends well beyond the Turners’ initial vision while remaining true to its original mission of Serving Others. As an employer of choice to more than 157,000 associates, DG is comprised of more than 17,000 company-owned retail locations and 25 distribution centers. A critical factor to DG’s continued growth is its perennial focus on creating opportunities to celebrate diversity, inclusivity and empowerment among its employees, customers and communities. In fact, the evergreen focus on Dollar General’s service-minded mission, which endures and serves as a guiding force to support its future, remains as strong and relevant today as it did eight decades ago.
“We are committed to respecting and embracing the many different experiences and perspectives we all bring to the table,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO. “This is a journey and the landscape is ever changing. With such a bright future ahead of us, we will continue to collaborate to promote an inclusive culture and live our value of giving back.”
In demonstration of this commitment, Dollar General’s journey to grow as an inclusive retailer extends through every level of the organization and impacts employees, customers and communities alike.
To support its employees, Dollar General has established five employee resource groups (ERGs) that are each organized around a chosen commonality. Each ERG, which includes the AAERG (African-American ERG), DGYP (DG Young Professionals), EQUAL (LGBTQIA+), SERVE (military-minded ERG) and the WPN (Women’s Professional Network), are championed by two executive sponsors from the Dollar General officer team and works to leverage differences, promote awareness and build a more inclusive culture consistent with Dollar General’s mission and core values.
To support its customers, Dollar General continues to make strides in encouraging diversity among its vendor partnerships through its Supplier and Diversity Innovation Summits. Understanding the Company serves a diverse customer base, these events not only reflect the Company’s values, but also help leverage varying perspectives to provide customers with the most meaningful and relevant shopping experience possible at everyday low prices that allow them to stretch their budgets.
To support communities, DG is proud to support the neighborhoods it calls home through literacy and education, as well as through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation (DGLF). Since 1993, the DGLF has awarded nearly $190 million to support more than 12 million individuals learn to read, speak English or obtain their GED. Additionally, Dollar General recently made a $5 million joint pledge with the DGLF in support of national and local organizations focused on literacy, education, racial justice and social justice.
“We believe our mission of Serving Others means serving everyone, and we work tirelessly every day to empower and uplift those who live and work in the communities we proudly serve,” said Dr. Johné Battle, Dollar General’s vice president of diversity and inclusion. “Inclusivity is what powers us to invite new perspectives, and the diversity of our differences strengthen us to better serve individuals. Through our mission, values and continual journey, DG remains committed to developing and evolving diversity and inclusion to match the changing needs of all those we serve. We look forward to the continual journey ahead.”
To learn more about Dollar General’s diversity and inclusion where the Company’s mission of Serving Others includes everyone, please visit https://careers.dollargeneral.com/diversity-inclusion/.
