Three C-store Retailers Recognized Among America's Best Employers for Diversity

NATIONAL REPORT — The events of the past two years, notably the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest that gripped the country in the spring of 2020, have shined a light on diversity, though diversity has been a focal point for several convenience industry companies for several years.

Three of those convenience retailers were recognized for their efforts on the Forbes  2022 America's Best Employers for Diversity list.

Sheetz landed at the No. 278 spot. The Altoona, Pa.-based company operates more than 630 convenience stores throughout six states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. It employs 20,204 associates.

In addition to earning recognition for diversity from Forbes, Sheetz recently ranked No. 183 on America's Best Large Employers 2022, No. 75 on America's Largest Private Companies 2021, and No. 166 on Best Employers for New Grads 2021. The c-store retailer was also called out on the magazine's America's Best Employers By State 2021 list.

Tulsa, Okla.-based QuikTrip Corp. captured the No. 401 spot on the 2022 America's Best Employers for Diversity. The retailer owns and operates 835 convenience stores and gasoline service stations throughout eleven states in the South, Midwest and Southwest. It employs 22,056 associates.

Other Forbes recognitions include America's Best Large Employers 2022 (No. 188), The Halo 100 2022 (No. 36), America's Largest Private Companies 2021 (No. 34), and Best Employers for Veterans 2021 (No. 37). The c-store retailer was also called out on the magazine's America's Best Employers By State 2021 list.

Murphy USA Inc. ranked No. 451 on the 2022 America's Best Employers for Diversity. The El Dorado, Ark.-based company's network consists of 1,151 Murphy USA stores, 376 Murphy Express stores, and 159 QuickChek stores. It employs 9,900 associates.

QuikTrip was also recently recognized by Forbes on its Best Mid-Cap Companies 2022 (No. 52) and Global 2000 2021 (No. 1,760). Murphy USA was also called out on the magazine's America's Best Employers By State 2021 list.

In addition to three c-store retailers, several industry suppliers took spots on the list. They are: General Mills (No. 31), Procter & Gamble (No. 35), Mars (No. 42), Hershey (No. 70), Coca-Cola (No. 318), Kellogg (No. 334), and PepsiCo (No. 372).

Forbes partnered with market research company Statista to compile the annual list of America's Best Employers for Diversity. To determine the ranking, Statista surveyed 60,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees and pinpointed the companies they identified as most dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion, according to the magazine.

Survey participants were asked to rate their organizations on criteria such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation equality, as well as that of general diversity. Statista then asked respondents belonging to underrepresented groups to nominate organizations other than their own.