PROVIDENCE, R.I., March 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United Natural
Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) ("UNFI" or the "Company"), North America's premier food wholesaler
delivering the widest variety of products to a diverse and
expansive customer base across the country, today announced that it
has established safety protocols, added additional flexibility and
provided incentives for the front line distribution center
associates providing America with essential services during the
COVID-19 national state of emergency.
"As Americans continue to look to us to help keep stores across
the country well-stocked during this national emergency, we are
fully committed to supporting our valued associates and working to
meet their needs," said Steven L.
Spinner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Our 21,000
associates are at the very heart of the food distribution sector's
around-the-clock effort to keep America fed and prepared amidst the
uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. We hope our new protocols will
provide an important degree of assurance and comfort to our
world-class workforce, especially as cases inevitably increase in
the weeks ahead and deliveries become more difficult amidst
widespread business closures."
UNFI distribution center teams, from our selectors and sales
support to our forklift operators and truck drivers, as well as all
support staff within a DC are essential workers in helping ensure
UNFI continues to fulfill its role as a critical link in the North
American food supply chain.
In recognition of our associates' dedication and efforts during
this time of national emergency, UNFI is putting in place several
new protocols designed to provide assurance and safety to our
workforce, including:
- Full-time and part-time direct labor associates and drivers
will receive a Temporary State of Emergency Bonus of $2 per hour on top of their regular wages and
overtime hours for time worked through March
31;
- Enhanced flexibility and exceptions will be enacted to adapt
attendance policies and productivity expectations to make sure the
quality and safety of America's food supply is maintained in the
face of unprecedented demand;
- Fortified safety for our drivers and warehouse associates
through these times of unprecedented volume;
- 14 additional days of paid sick leave for associates if they
are diagnosed with COVID-19;
- Up to 14 days of additional paid leave for associates if a
facility is closed due to COVID-19; and;
- UNFI Assist, UNFI's umbrella for its corporate social
responsibility program has also allocated funds to support grants
to associates experiencing COVID-19 financial hardships.
"Our associates have done a tremendous job keeping UNFI's supply
chain secure and stable as customer demand has surged to
unprecedented levels," added Paul
Green, Chief Supply Chain Officer. "They continue to go the
extra mile and put the needs of our customers first despite long
hours and large workloads. This is why we, in turn, will continue
to do whatever is in our power to prioritize their health and
wellbeing at all times."
Jill Sutton, Chief Legal Officer,
added, "We have robust business planning and continuity programs in
place that our teams are executing on with tremendous focus,
effective protocols and care for our workforce. We believe these
efforts will continue to allow us to keep our associates and our
communities safe. We will not be deterred from carrying out our
essential mission of providing the high-quality food products that
our customers have come to expect of us during this critical
time."
About United Natural Foods
UNFI is North America's premier
food wholesaler delivering the widest variety of products to
customer locations throughout North
America including natural product superstores, independent
retailers, conventional supermarket chains, ecommerce retailers,
and food service customers. By providing this deeper 'full-store'
selection and compelling brands for every aisle, UNFI is uniquely
positioned to deliver great food, more choices, and fresh thinking
to customers everywhere. UNFI is the largest publicly-traded
grocery distributor in America. To learn more about how UNFI is
Moving Food Forward, visit www.unfi.com.
Investor Contact
Steve Bloomquist
952-828-4144
steve.j.bloomquist@unfi.com
Media Contact
Jeff Swanson
952-903-1645
jeffrey.s.swanson@unfi.com
View original
content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-natural-foods-affirms-commitment-to-the-health-and-wellbeing-of-its-front-line-distribution-center-associates-301026816.html
SOURCE United Natural Foods, Inc.