Investors Press Dollar General Over Rollback of Diversity, Inclusion Efforts

Investors are pressing Dollar General to explain why diversity and inclusion language disappeared from its recent filings, warning that the rollback could affect everything from retention and leadership development to legal exposure in stores that depend on a steady frontline workforce.

United Church Funds and a coalition of faith-based investors tied to the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility said in an April 9 letter to CEO Todd Vasos that Dollar General had removed diversity-focused priorities from its 2025 corporate reports, dropped a Diversity and Inclusion section from its sustainability reporting, and no longer listed a dedicated Chief Diversity Officer among senior management. The coalition said it represented more than $53 billion in assets under management, giving the letter real weight even though it was not a regulatory action or labor complaint.

The investors said Dollar General had described diversity and inclusion as a priority in its 10-K filings from 2021 through 2024, then removed that language in reports published in 2025. They also said the company had not been transparent about steps taken after a 2023 racial equity audit by Korn Ferry that was overseen by the board. In their view, the missing disclosures raise business, reputational and human-capital risks, especially for a chain that depends on store associates, district leaders and supervisors spread across a vast and thinly staffed retail footprint.

That footprint is part of the pressure point. Dollar General said in its fiscal 2025 sustainability report that it provided access to more than 20,800 stores across 48 U.S. states and five cities in Mexico during fiscal 2025. Any shift in recruiting, promotion or employee culture would land first at the store level, where associates already work under intense time pressure and where turnover and advancement concerns can quickly shape day-to-day operations.

The clash also lands after a very public internal dispute. On June 4, 2025, Dollar General said it had released a court-ordered retraction by its former Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Johné Battle, and said it disputed allegations of race discrimination or retaliation. Earlier, on June 26, 2024, the company’s own diversity and inclusion page said it had five employee resource groups, including AAERG, DGYP, EQUAL, SERVE and WPN, and framed diversity as central to the company’s mission.

That contrast is now at the center of the investor challenge. Dollar General’s own branding has long emphasized serving employees, customers and communities, but the letter argues that the company’s public pullback from diversity commitments could undermine the very workforce stability and leadership pipeline needed to keep more than 20,800 stores staffed and operating.