Kroger awarded RippleMatch's 2023 Campus Forward Award in Enterprise Early Career Programs category; award recognizes programs that have innovative recruitment strategies, invest in diversity and inclusion, support internships and entry-level programs

Grocer recognized nationally for valuing Generation Z, early-career associates

The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America's grocer, has been awarded the 2023 Campus Forward Award in the Enterprise Early Career Programs category for excellence in early career hiring.

"With six generations making up our workforce, Kroger understands the importance of early talent development and how impactful internship programs can define our company culture for years to come," said Tim Massa, senior vice president and chief people officer at Kroger. "We are proud to receive this recognition from RippleMatch and will continue to validate our commitment to the next generation of talent. We truly want all our associates to come for a job and discover a career."

Kroger internship programs provide an inclusive, engaging experience with one-on-one mentorship, as well as coaching and guidance from managers.

"I am very grateful for the mentorship program that came with the Kroger Internship," said William Okine, Financial Internal Auditor at Kroger. "My mentor, who I keep in contact with, was very helpful in answering questions about the company, school and planning for the future. As a young college student, having someone like that in your life can really make a difference."

The Campus Forward Awards by RippleMatch recognize excellence in early career hiring, celebrating programs that embrace innovative recruitment strategies, make significant investments in diversity and inclusion, and are supporting the next generation of talent through impactful internships and entry-level programs.

Highlights of Kroger's early career talent commitments include:

• Demonstrated Investment in Early Career Hiring: Establishing early talent and diversity as a core foundation in developing the next generation of leaders, both internally and externally
• Innovative and Multi-Faceted Approach to University Recruitment: Prioritizing connections with college campuses across the country, from large universities to small community colleges
• Overarching Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: Actively connecting with talented students from all backgrounds, with a focus to reflect the demographics of the customer base and create an inclusive environment
• Impactful Internship Program: Continued offerings of 12-week rotations giving interns the opportunity to connect with senior leaders and other professionals through frequent networking and career development events
• Growth and Development of the Next Generation of Talent: Committed to long-term success for interns and new hires through a detailed onboarding process, fully equipping new hires to contribute to the company's success

Recognized teams were selected through a robust application detailing campus candidate experience, innovative recruitment strategies, approach to diversity recruiting and internship and entry-level programs.

Visit Kroger's careers site to learn more about our internship and early career programs.

About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About RippleMatch
RippleMatch  is the recruitment automation platform changing how Gen Z finds work. By replacing job boards with matching and automation, RippleMatch eliminates the most time-intensive parts of the recruitment process for both employers and job seekers. Leading employers leverage RippleMatch to build diverse, high-performing teams and Gen Z job seekers across the country trust RippleMatch to launch and grow their careers.

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.