Albertsons Companies reaffirmed its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as it expands its Supplier Diversity Program. The grocery retailer said it seeks to partner and support innovative and diverse suppliers as it hosts its second virtual summit this week.
According to a press release, Albertsons is seeking submissions from suppliers that are over 50% owned and controlled/operated by a U.S. citizen and one of the following categories or ethnicities: African American, Asian American, Hispanic, Native American, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender, Service-Disabled Veteran or Female.
Minority suppliers have a deadline of Monday, Feb. 7, to submit their application to join the program.
For more information, visit www.rangeme.com/albertsonsdiversitysummit.
In April, the retailer will announce the acceptance into the Supplier Diversity Program.
“Albertsons Companies is dedicated to providing opportunities to diverse suppliers to grow their business and have their products on more shelves,” said Jonathan Mayes, Albertsons Companies SVP, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. “Through this program, we are able to partner with new diverse businesses that also reflect the diverse communities we serve across the nation.”
According to the retailer, one of the biggest challenges for small businesses is access to working capital. To address that problem, Albertsons is offering an expanded early payment program through its partnership with C2FO. This secure online platform provides funding to qualified, diverse-owned suppliers at significantly lower rates. By making access to working capital more equitable, diverse-owned businesses can alleviate immediate capital challenges.
Albertsons hosted its first successful virtual event in May 2021, with nearly 1,000 diverse suppliers interested in partnering with the grocery retailer.
In 2022, Albertsons said it would continue its work with ECRM, RangeMe, and Quantum to broaden its reach and help identify a diverse group of candidates for inclusion in its Supplier Diversity Program.