Content about Labor

PHILADELPHIA — Customers and employees of extreme value retailer Five Below have raised nearly $345,000 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for cancer for all children. 

Reduced landfill waste, fewer accidents and increased sales from environmentally friendly products were among the accomplishments Kimberly-Clark touted in its 10th annual sustainability report.

The company’s report, a comprehensive overview progress against its sustainability and corporate responsibility efforts, highlights significant developments in key areas of people, planet and products. Kimberly-Clark manufacturers some of the worlds best known brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend.

The retail industry is one sector where cash remains king and will continue to be ubiquitous for years to come. Yet despite this, the domain of cash management still remains a major challenge for retailers with cash being expensive to process and secure.

WASHINGTON — The Walmart Foundation has awarded the American Red Cross with a $3.5 million grant that will help 2,500 students receive training for entry-level healthcare careers through the Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training program.

The program is designed to help give students a career pathway into the industry, while also helping communities alleviate a shortage of adequately trained Certified Nurse Assistants.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer is opening two 190,000-sq.-ft. supercenters in Portage and Warsaw, in northern Indiana, creating more than 500 new jobs.

The family-owned retailer, which already has 32 stores throughout Indiana, built the new locations to LEED standards. The two supercenters are the latest in a $200 million investment this year that includes the construction of six new Meijer supercenters, extensive remodel projects for five additional stores in Michigan and Illinois and major upgrades to two distribution complexes.

H&M is collaborating with Parisian designer Isabel Marant on a fall line, inspired by her signature style, featuring clothing and accessories for teenagers, women and for the first time, men.

The retailer will roll out the collection Nov. 14 in approximately 250 of its stores worldwide.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club CEO Rosalind Brewer announced the launch of a collaborative program supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs in 25 cities. The Grow Your Business Boot Camp series offers hands-on training seminars backed by a funding commitment of $500,000 from Sam's Club.

INDIANAPOLIS — Kroger central division employees working at Kroger stores in the Indianapolis area have ratified a new four-year labor agreement with UFCW Local 700.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Lululemon reported results for the first quarter ended May 5, but the news of the day was CEO Christine Day's resignation after five and a half years.

Day will officially step down once the board names a successor. The board has formed a search committee and enacted its CEO succession plan.

PITTSBURGH — Berkshire Hathaway and an investment fund affiliated with 3G Capital have completed their acquisition of H.J. Heinz Company. 

Heinz shareholders will receive $72.50 in cash for each share of common stock they owned as of the effective time of the merger, without interest and less any applicable withholding taxes. As a result of the completion of the merger, the common stock of Heinz will no longer be listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange and Heinz expects no further trading after the close of business on June 7.

The world’s largest company held its annual shareholders meeting Friday morning and the most noteworthy development at the event — aside from a $15 billion share repurchase authorization — was a surprise appearance and glowing comments by Hollywood heavyweight Tom Cruise.

Store level execution, a topic near but not always so dear to the hearts of Walmart suppliers, will be the focus of a Doing Business in Bentonville event scheduled for next Wednesday.