Dollar General shareholders reportedly voted to pass a resolution that calls for the creation of an independent audit into worker safety, according to CNBC. The proposal, which was filed by Domini Impact Investments, asked the Dollar General board to commission an audit looking into the retailer’s worker safety policies and practices.
The proposal recommended that the audit include evaluation of practices that could contribute to an unsafe or violent environment, such as staffing capacity. The proposal also recommended that the analysis bring in workers and customers to help inform solutions and make recommendations for actions that can be taken.
It is not clear if the proposal is binding, and Dollar General has not confirmed when it plans to conduct the audit, but a company spokesperson said it is “awaiting the final report and will report the final results in a Form 8-K within the required period.”
“We strive to create a work environment where employees are able to grow their careers, serve their local communities and feel valued and heard, and we encourage employees to share their feedback through the many company-provided channels so that we can listen and work together to address concerns and challenges, as well as to celebrate successes,” said the spokesperson in an interview with CNBC.
Dollar General is already taking steps to improve staffing by investing nearly $100 million to increase labor hours for its more than 170,000 store employees this year. The move is aimed at keeping employees happy while also helping Dollar General “capture additional market share by further enhancing store standards and the in-store experience,” according to CEO Jeffrey Owen.
Dollar Tree also is under pressure to produce a report regarding its treatment of workers. Dollar Tree Proposal 5, led by United Church Funds, calls for the creation of a wages and inequality report.
