CINCINNATI, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced today it has been named to Fortune magazine's Change the World 2018 list, debuting in the sixth spot. The company was recognized for its bold social impact plan Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, which aims to end hunger in the communities Kroger calls home and eliminate waste across the company by 2025.

The fourth annual Change the World issue highlights the work of 57 big companies across the world using their resources to solve societal problems.

"Kroger is honored and thrilled to be recognized by Fortune for how we are leveraging our business and resources to create social impact through Zero Hunger | Zero Waste," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO. "Being a socially-conscious company has always been a part of Kroger's culture and core business operations, and today it is a driver of Restock Kroger. This recognition is possible thanks to the legacy of the leaders who have gone before us and the incredible inspired actions of our associates. From Barney Kroger donating day-old bread to feed hungry neighbors until today, we are committed to living our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™."

In 2017, Kroger donated 325 million meals, combined in food and funds, to help end hunger in its communities through its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Food Rescue program. The grocery retailer also conducted a detailed food waste analysis in partnership with World Wildlife Fund to establish a baseline for achieving zero food waste by 2025.

"When we launched Zero Hunger | Zero Waste nearly a year ago, we knew it was an incredibly bold goal for 2025. Kroger's deep heritage of generosity gave us the confidence to use our scale for good," said Jessica Adelman, Kroger's group vice president of corporate affairs. "Kroger's plan is both ambitious and focused — to address food insecurity in our communities in a greater way by accelerating food donations to provide 3 billion meals by 2025, reducing food waste throughout our operations, advocating for Zero Hunger | Zero Waste public policy solutions, forming NGO and stakeholder partnerships because we know we can't do it alone, plus establishing the $10 Million Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Innovation Fund. Together, we believe Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste plan will transform communities across America and improve health for millions."

To learn more about Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, view Kroger's latest sustainability report.

At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit™. We are nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.