Resolved clauseResolved: Shareholders request the Board of Directors adopt and disclose a comprehensive Human Rights Policy which states the Company's commitment to respect human rights, in alignment with international human rights standards, throughout its operations and value chain, and describes steps to identify, assess, prevent, mitigate, and, where appropriate, remedy adverse human rights impacts connected to the business.
Supporting statementResolved: Shareholders request the Board of Directors adopt and disclose a comprehensive Human Rights Policy which states the Company's commitment to respect human rights, in alignment with international human rights standards, throughout its operations and value chain, and describes steps to identify, assess, prevent, mitigate, and, where appropriate, remedy adverse human rights impacts connected to the business. Whereas: The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights establish the corporate responsibility to respect internationally recognized human rights, including rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining, a safe and healthy working environment, and just and favorable remuneration. Dollar General Corporation ("Dollar General") lacks a comprehensive policy commitment to uphold international human rights standards throughout the business, including its own operations. Its existing human rights-related disclosures1 are limited to supplier expectations. Peers with comprehensive human rights policies include Dollar Tree,2 Target,3 Walmart,4 Costco,5 and Big Lots.6 There are indications that Dollar General practices do not align with international human rights standards, including the right to freedom of association and the right to a safe and healthy working environment: The National Labor Relations Board ruled in 2023 that Dollar General engaged in "blatant hallmark unfair labor practices" against workers attempting to organize in Connecticut, including unlawful termination, surveillance, interrogation, and threatening store closures.7 Similar cases are pending against the company in Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi.8 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) named Dollar General a "Severe Violator" in 2022 for willful, repeat, and serious workplace safety violations.9 Dollar General issued a safety report10 in 2024 following a majority vote on a shareholder proposal; however, proponents and workers criticized the stakeholder engagement process and auditor selection.11 Dollar General's corporate-wide settlement with OSHA12 carried $12 million in penalties and mandated worker-driven safety improvements.13 Gun violence threatens workers' right to a safe workplace. Aggregate data from news reports found that from 2022 to 2024, 80 shootings took place at Dollar Generals nationwide, with 107 victims and 41 total fatalities, including multiple children shot and five employees killed. 14 The United Nations states, "achieving living wages is part of the business responsibility to respect fundamental human rights".15 Dollar General's median worker earned $18,657 while its CEO made $9,727,656, resulting in a 521:1 pay ratio.16 92% of Dollar General workers made less than $15 per hour in 2022, 17 falling well below living wage rates.18 Human rights violations create reputational, financial, legal, and regulatory risks. Dollar General acknowledges reputational damage from labor issues may hurt performance. 19 Adopting a comprehensive human rights policy is in the best interests of the company, employees, and shareholders. 1https://investor.dollargeneral.com/dollargeneral/pdf/DG_Human_Rights_Risk_Assessment_and_Supply_Chain_Transparency_Disclosure_ -_January_2014_V1 .pdf; SERVING OTHERS Dollar General https://www.dollargeneral.com , public,elations 2 https://www.dollartree.com/file/general/Human_Rights_Policy.pdf 3 https://corporate.target.com/sustainability-governance/responsible-supply-chains/human,ights 4 https://corporate.walmart.com/purpose/esgreport/socialn,uman-rights 5 https://mobilecontent.costco.com/live/resource/img/static-us-landing-pages/HumanRightsStatement.pdf 6 https://assets.biglots.com/is/contenUbiglots/BiglotsHumanRightsPolicyFINAL2023.03v2pdf 7 https://www.nlrb.gov/news-0utreach/news-story/region-1-boston-wins-adm inistrative-law-judge-decision-finding-dollar 8 https://www.nlrb.gov/search/case/dollar%20general?f%5B0%5D=case_type%3AC&s%580%5D=Open 9 https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/region4/11012022 10 Report on Audit of Dollar General Safety Policies and ... Dollar General https://www.dollargeneral.com/ .. ./Dollar_General_ ... 11 https://laborlab.us/jackson_lewis_the_notorious_law_firm_at_the_forefront_of_union_busting/ ; https://www.stepuplouisiana.org/press,eleases/dollar-general-agrees-to-implementworkers-saf ety-demands-settle-with-osha-for-12-m illion 12 https://www. business insider. com/dollar-general-investor-no-progress-on-worker-saf ety-audit-2023-11 ; https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/07112024-0 13 https://drive.google. com/file/d/1 xd I_ 8 _ W_hhVEdxN NWFXjepU 1 ERLM79EO/view 14 https://www.stepuplouisiana.org/dollarstores 15 https://bhr-navigator. unglobalcompact.org/issues/living-wage/ 16 https://investor.dollargeneral.com/websites/dollargeneral/English/310010/us-sec-filing. htm l?secFiling Id= 791 eb926-2641-417 e-be9f- 6e9087050c6d&format=htm l&shortDesc=Proxy%20Statement%20%28definitive%29 17 https://www.epi.org/company-wage-tracker/ 18 https://livingwage.mit.edu/; https://livingwageforus.org/tier-ii-certification/ 19 https://investor. dollargeneral. com/websites/dollargeneral/English/31001 0/us-sec-filing. htm l?shortDesc=Annual%20Report&secFiling ld=b5700569-117 3-4a40-b4e3- d1fd14e48940&format=html