Zaandam, the Netherlands, June 10, 2022 – At Ahold Delhaize and our great local brands, we are open for everyone. We strive to build a diverse and inclusive culture for all associates so we can actively support their contributions. For us, Pride is more than a monthlong observance, it’s a critical need to stand with our LGBTQ+ associates and our brands’ customers to raise awareness, encourage engagement, and combat stereotypes and bias all year round.
Our Ahold Delhaize U.S. brands have been recognized as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. And our brands earned perfect scores on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. We believe in a workplace that reflects our values, where all associates are respected, and where they can show their full talent – no matter how they identify themselves, who they love or how they like to dress. We’re proud of all our colleagues.
In honor of Pride Month this June, we got to learn how our great local U.S. brands are celebrating and advocating this time of year. First up is Giant Food...
The Giant Food team is excited to be a part of what is expected to be one of the largest Pride parades to ever take place in the U.S. capital, Washington DC. They’ve been waiting three years for this day – and the parade is set to be bigger and better than ever this year! Giant Food donated $15,000 to the Capital Pride Alliance to be a sponsor and participate. The brand will have a Vintage Giant truck and a Giant Deliver’s truck and van in the parade, along with around 100 associates handing out water, cooling towels and limited-edition Pride Oreo packaging, and will provide a board of positive messages for the community to sign and fill out.
The brand’s Pride Business Resource Group (BRG) has also planned fun initiatives as part of Pride Month. During June, store associates can wear their Pride shirts to show support for the LGBTQ+ community. And the BRG will hold a contest in the stores where field specialists judge the best Pride merchandising, showcasing LGBT-owned and Pride-packaged products. Additionally, the Pride BRG and THRIVE People of Color BRG will be celebrating Pride and Juneteenth by playing trivia to learn and understand the origins of these events and their history on June 16th with associates.
To further support the LGBTQ+ community, Giant Food will match a $12,500 Procter & Gamble (P&G) donation to the “Can’t Cancel Pride 2022 – Proud AND Together” fundraiser, for a total donation of $25,000. Celebrating visibility and inclusivity, this event, put on by iHeartRadio and P&G, will look back on “The Year in Pride,” with performances and appearances from the most influential voices in the LGBTQ+ community and the biggest names in culture and entertainment. It will stream on iHeartRadio’s TikTok, YouTube, Facebook pages, iHeartRadio’s PrideRadio.com and Revry on June 14.
Stay tuned to see how some of our other brands celebrate!
