We are proud of our long history and commitment to diversity and inclusion which can be traced to our founder, Bill Darden. When Bill opened his first restaurant in 1938 in Waycross, Ga., he welcomed anyone as a guest. This courageous move came during a time when racial segregation and discrimination across the South denied African Americans their constitutional rights, including access to all public facilities such as restaurants.
In addition to opening his doors to everyone, Bill also made sure his workforce reflected the makeup of the local community. Beyond being the right thing to do, he understood that having a diverse base of guests and employees was good for business.
Today, diversity remains a core value for Darden, and we embrace and celebrate the diversity of our guests, employees, suppliers, and the communities we serve.
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Top 60 Companies for Hispanics,
Hispanic Business, September 2009. -
Top 50 Employers in the United States for Hispanic Women,
Latina Style, August 2009. -
40 Best Companies for Diversity,
Black Enterprise, July 2009. - Noteworthy Company,
DiversityInc, 2008, 2009. -
Top 50 Companies for Diversity,
DiversityInc, 2007. - Faces of Diversity Inspiration Award from the National Restaurant Association, 2007.
We strongly believe in helping everyone at Darden achieve his or her full potential. By fostering a diverse workforce, and providing employees not simply with jobs, but an opportunity to build rewarding careers, we are able to deliver on our core purpose "to nourish and delight everyone we serve" while creating a vibrant organization.
To maximize our potential, Darden has implemented a number of programs focused around the diversity of our workforce, suppliers and local communities. They include:
- Workforce Diversity – We continuously work to attract and retain a workforce that reflects our diverse customer base. To achieve these goals, we offer robust diversity training, a supportive employee network, and enforce accountability standards for everyone.
- Supplier Diversity – We are dedicated to providing opportunities for diverse suppliers, allowing them to develop and grow.
- Diversity Outreach – We are committed to helping the communities in which we live and do business. Through corporate contributions and the Darden Restaurants, Inc. Foundation, we support diverse nonprofit organizations that contribute to the well-being of the communities we serve.
