Top DE&I Stories of 2024

As one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for the past 11 years, we are working to build a culture that is inclusive of all people living in Canada.  

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion empowers our colleagues and employees to be their authentic selves while at work while celebrating cultural diversity, advancing gender equality, and creating a positive space where colleagues of all genders and sexual orientations feel welcome. It also provides us with learning opportunities, highlights where improvement is needed and showcases opportunities to support amazing partners and organizations who are leading the way.  

This past January, Loblaw announced $1 million in funding for five different organizations through our Community Investment Grants – Black Business and Professional Association; Canadian Women’s Foundation; Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital; Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business; and Pride at Work Canada. Each organization was selected with input from each of our four DE&I related resource groups and will receive $200,000 over four years.  

Here are your top DE&I stories of the year:  

1. Joe Fresh launches Everybody Bloom Pride collection – In celebration of Pride, Joe Fresh released its first Pride Collection this year, designed by Ian Metcalfe, Director of Visual Merchandising and Licensed Product at Joe Fresh. As an openly queer colleague offering an authentic perspective at Joe Fresh for the past 16 years, Ian designed two gender-free tees that celebrate the joy, beauty, and diversity of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.  

2. Our commitment to reconciliation – For National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, we took time to reflect on the tragic impact that residential schools had on the Indigenous community. Loblaw has worked to honour the impact of this time through Indigenous Land Acknowledgements at our head office, select grocery stores and meetings; support of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business and the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund; as well as the Joe Fresh orange shirts designed by Canadian Indigenous Artists, Born in the North with 100% of proceeds going to the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund.  

3. Jorge’s second coming out story – October 11 marked National Coming Out Day and for Jorge Muñoz, Sr. Manager, Workflow Optimization and Capacity Planning at Shoppers Drug Mart, it marked his second coming out. In wanting to continue being authentic and open, Jorge came out as neurodivergent to his leaders after learning he has autistic traits.  

Cheers to a great year and to continuing to tell stories about our people and DE&I commitments that resonate with each and every one of you in the new year!