Kohl’s Commits $10 Million to Family Health and Wellness, Releases 2018 CSR Report
Kohl’s broadens CSR focus through new partnerships with Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis., April 17, 2019 – Kohl's (NYSE: KSS) today announced it is deepening its long-standing commitment to families and communities through an expanded Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform, shifting the company’s focus from children’s health to holistic family health and wellness. Kohl’s is launching new partnerships with two national organizations, Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, to develop and implement critical programming aimed at improving the physical and emotional well-being of children and families, through donations of $2 million and $3 million respectively. Additionally, Kohl’s recently announced a $5 million donation to Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to help launch a multi-year mental health strategy to improve mental health services for Wisconsin kids and their families in the state where Kohl’s operates its headquarters.
“Enriching the lives of the families we serve and creating meaningful change in the communities we are proud to be part of has always been and will remain at the core of who we are as a company,” said Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief executive officer. “Our broadened focus on family health and wellness, particularly the introduction of our support of mental health services and new partnerships with organizations with the expertise to address critical needs, will enable us to make a difference in the everyday wellness of families including physical, mental and emotional well-being.”
Kohl’s existing CSR programs have and will continue to play a critical role in ensuring healthy families and communities, while the sharpened focus on overall family health and wellness will introduce support of mental health programming to create a holistic commitment to overall well-being. Since its founding, Kohl’s and its philanthropic program, Kohl’s Cares®, have donated more than $700 million to communities through its best-in-class associate volunteer program, partnerships with children’s hospitals nationwide and support of organizations in its hometown and across the country.
Kohl’s Supports Family Health and Wellness
Kohl’s is helping fund the creation and implementation of three initiatives that enhance children’s physical, mental and emotional well-being, improving families’ health and wellness nationwide. These donations are made possible through Kohl’s philanthropic program, Kohl’s Cares, which sells children’s books and toys and donates 100 percent of the net profit to support happier and healthier communities nationwide.
New, National Partnerships
Kohl’s is launching new national partnerships with Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Boys & Girls Clubs of America to reach even more children and families across the country.
Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Kohl’s will donate $2 million to launch a new, innovative, family health and wellness initiative, Kohl’s Healthy at Home, that will encourage families to prioritize a healthy lifestyle in their home and wherever their children live, learn and play. The program, which is designed to address the growing rate of childhood obesity, will be rooted in evidence-based practices that set the foundation for positive life outcomes for children and family members, including improved health and behavioral and academic achievement.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Kohl’s gift of $3 million will provide comprehensive social and emotional development training for staff and integrate emotional and social skills into all program curricula, enabling Clubs across the country to take a holistic approach to the health and well-being of the youth they serve. This heightened focus and integration will provide more than four million kids and teens in Clubs across the country with resources and programming to develop the social and emotional skills they need to succeed in school, careers and life.
“The family home is oftentimes the primary place where children receive the tools they need to fully develop and succeed,” said Kathy Higgins, chief executive officer at Healthier Generation. “As an organization committed to empowering kids to make healthier choices through our work with over 45,000 schools and out-of-school programs, we are proud to work with Kohl’s to support families in creating healthy homes where children can thrive.”
“Boys & Girls Clubs of America is proud to partner with Kohl’s to equip youth development professionals at local Clubs nationwide with the knowledge and resources they need to build the social and emotional skills of our members through impactful programming,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “With Kohl’s support, we will be able to dramatically change how we approach designing curricula, trainings, and staff practices to include both social and environmental youth development and therefore offer holistic support that meets the emotional and behavioral needs of our kids and teens.”
Hometown, Milwaukee-Area Partnership
Recently, Kohl’s deepened its commitment to children and families in its home state of Wisconsin with a $5 million donation, over four years, to its long-standing partner Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to enhance mental health services. The grant will directly address the state’s need for greater access to mental health services for children and generate awareness about the impact a child’s mental health has on his or her holistic well-being. To read the full announcement, click here.
Kohl’s 2018 CSR Report
Being a responsible corporate citizen is an important part of Kohl's values and the work the company does to serve its customers, neighbors and communities. Today, Kohl’s released its 2018 CSR Report highlighting the accomplishments and achievements of the past year.
In 2018, some of the company’s most notable CSR highlights included:
Improving Community Health
Kohl’s committed more than $44 million to better communities nationwide through philanthropic efforts;
Donated $11 million to 4,500 nonprofits in recognition of associate volunteer efforts, for a total of more than $166 million since 2001; and
Raised more than $20 million through the Kohl’s Cares Merchandise Program, for a total of nearly $360 million raised since 2000.
Supporting Associate Well-being
Kohl’s championed associate health and wellness through 14 on-site wellness centers, with more than 35,000 associate visits;
Expanded Business Resource Groups to the entire organization and grew membership to nearly 3,000 associates; and
Celebrated each other’s accomplishments with more than 1.7 million peer-to-peer recognitions.
Leaving a Smaller Footprint
Kohl’s exceeded its Better Building Challenge goal to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent and committed to another 15 percent energy reduction;
Was named one of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, and earned accolades from both the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and Barron’s list of the Top 100 Sustainable Companies; and
Diverted 83 percent of waste from landfills, closing in on its goal of 85 percent.
To learn more about Kohl’s commitment to family health and wellness or access Kohl’s entire 2018 CSR Report, visit Corporate.Kohls.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including 2019 earnings guidance. Kohl's intends forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “anticipates,” “plans,” or similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause Kohl's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Item 1A in Kohl's Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, and other factors as may periodically be described in Kohl's filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements relate to the date initially made, and Kohl’s undertakes no obligation to update them.
About Kohl’s
Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a leading omnichannel retailer with more than 1,100 stores in 49 states. With a commitment to inspiring and empowering families to lead fulfilled lives, Kohl’s offers amazing national and exclusive brands, incredible savings and an easy shopping experience in our stores, online at Kohls.com and on Kohl's mobile app. Since its founding, Kohl's has given more than $700 million to support communities nationwide, with a focus on family health and wellness. For a list of store locations or to shop online, visit Kohls.com. For more information about Kohl’s impact in the community or how to join our winning team, visit Corporate.Kohls.com or follow @KohlsNews on Twitter.
Contact:
Jen Johnson, 262.703.5241, jen.johnson@kohls.com
Julia Fennelly, 262.703.1710, julia.fennelly@kohls.com
