2022 - A1

How dollar general's investment in female talent pays dividends now and in the future

A look at how the company’s inclusive, growth-focused culture develops current and future women leaders. When Donna Hernandez started at Dollar General 23 years ago, she was a young mother looking for a part-time sales job in Bridgeport, Texas, to pay the bills. What she found was a career she never expected. After two decades, she now serves as a division vice president of store operations for the largest retailer by store count in the United States. “I think about the people who have supported my journey from sales associate to my current position,” says Hernandez. “I didn’t know that I was capable of doing more. If it weren’t for a couple of my mentors and people who believed in me when I wasn’t sure I had the skills, I don’t think I’d be here today.”

Donna Hernandez on how Dollar General supports its female leaders

CULTIVATING THE CAREERS OF FEMALE EMPLOYEES Dollar General’s growth and purpose-driven culture creates the opportunity for employees like Hernandez to flourish. Recognizing that exceptional talent often comes from within its own ranks, the company fosters an environment of opportunity, education, and development. This includes empowering employees through formal networking, mentorship programs, and career development tracks. And with an overall employee population that is predominantly female (66%), creating programs and professional development opportunities that support women has long been a priority. The Women’s Professional Network (WPN), an employee resource group, is one way Dollar General supports its female employees. For more than a decade, the WPN has served as a popular connection point for current and aspiring female leaders and their allies, offering development and networking opportunities for its members.

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shareeka meadows, vice president, division merchandise manager, dollar general

“Our Women’s Professional Network has given women countless opportunities to gain important skills in a supportive environment,” says Kathy Reardon, Dollar General’s executive vice president and chief people officer. “Long before I was in my current role, I served as the executive sponsor of the WPN. I was able to practice a lot of important skills which helped me advance in my career. And that’s the case for so many at Dollar General.” Additionally, in 2021, Dollar General launched the Women’s Executive Development Cohort to provide supplemental and intentional support for female leaders. The inaugural class brought together 30 women from various departments to learn and grow together through inspiration and encouragement from outside speakers as well as enhanced opportunities through internal networking.

“We identify ways for women to network, uncover development opportunities, and reach their full potential,” says Reardon. “We have countless opportunities for anyone who wants to succeed, whether that comes from internal training courses or leadership programs. If you want to grow your career, we have the resources and guidance to support you.” This was the case for Shareeka Meadows. Since joining Dollar General in 2012 as a senior buyer in the company’s merchandising team, Meadows has participated in formal and informal mentorship and sponsorship programs. Most recently, Meadows has been engaged in Develop 2 LEAD, the latest sponsorship program to identify, develop, and prepare Dollar General’s future leaders. Now, as a vice president of merchandising, Meadows takes the lessons learned from these relationships to help further Dollar General’s inclusive culture, participating in and leading other groups and initiatives focused on inclusion.

Shareeka Meadows on how a commitment to inclusion fuels Dollar General's success

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Previously, Meadows served on the company’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, where she collaborated with a cross-functional group of colleagues to redesign one of the company’s operating priorities. Now, as president of Dollar General’s African American Employee Resource Group, Meadows further champions diversity and inclusion at Dollar General.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT DOLLAR GENERAL’S CULTURE, I THINK ABOUT A COMPANY THAT REALLY CELEBRATES DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT AND EMBRACES CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE THINKING.”

“When I think about Dollar General’s culture, I think about a company that really celebrates diversity of thought and embraces creative and innovative thinking,” says Meadows. “So, when I look at my career path, [Dollar General has] allowed me the opportunity to have open dialogue about what matters to me and [has] given me the outlet and access to resources to assist in my career journey and take it a step further.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AND MENTORSHIP ROLES Reardon, Meadows, and Hernandez are not outliers at Dollar General. The company proudly reports women comprise 30% of employees at the vice president level or above, along with approximately 75% of employees in managerial roles in the U.S. Such strong female representation among its ranks gives Dollar General a unique advantage as it works to serve a largely female customer base. “Having an organization with strong female leadership to serve a customer base largely comprised of women is critical to understanding [our customers’] needs and driving forward with our vision,” Reardon says. “I’m proud to help lead an organization that leans into developing talent so heavily. It starts with making sure that each of our employees feels welcomed to bring their true, authentic self to work every day, so that they can best serve their local communities.”

Kathy Reardon on the importance of investing in diverse teams

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“I want to show them the sky’s the limit at Dollar General,” says Hernandez. “As a mentor, I’m very open, honest, and transparent. They can ask me questions about how I’ve addressed challenges that I’ve faced in the 23 years that I’ve been here. And maybe they can take some of that to relate to some of their challenges.” That sentiment is shared by Meadows who equates mentoring to telling her story to others—and paying forward the opportunities she has received. “As a woman leading in a field where not a lot of people look like me, it would be easy to be guarded and to tuck away all my personal and professional experiences,” she says. “But I’m okay with vulnerability and letting people into my circle because I hope sharing these details will inspire and motivate other women.”

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