2021 was a tale of two halves: a continuation of what we experienced in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic and the slow return to in-person experiences as we adjusted to a new normal. We experienced political unrest in our Nation, waiting for vaccines and continued remote work for our headquarters Associates while most of our Associates were still working in-person in essential roles.

The coronavirus pandemic continued to devastate the United States and Italy. We started to see hope as vaccinations became readily available and used our platforms to encourage Associates to get vaccinated. We extended our benefits to include paid time off for vaccinations and Emergency Leave for those impacted by COVID-19.

After nearly two years of tremendous change in our working environment, whether that be remote work or additional cleaning procedures in our essential businesses, I watched as our 6000 Associates came together and cared for each other. I am so proud of the conversations we’ve had to work towards ending the stigma around mental health and the care of which Associates look out for their fellow colleagues. We encourage feedback from our Associates and respond by listening and acting based on the feedback. In 2021, our Domestic Associate Engagement Scores increased to 77% from 75%.

In 2021, we increased our DEI programming. We hosted numerous events and our leaders dedicated time to training and vulnerability sessions. We extended benefits for domestic partners and now cover transition benefits. We responded to our changing work environment with a new remote work policy. At Kum & Go, we launched a quarterly bonus plan for every full-time associate that is tied to the performance of their store. When the company wins, we share this with our Associates. USL Pro Iowa donated towards installing 10 mini pitches (futsal) to communities throughout Iowa. We showed up for our communities—donating 10% of our profits and we broke company records in funds raised for Habitat for Humanity International and the United Way. In total, Krause Group served over 220 nonprofit organizations through financial contributions, in-kind product donations, and community service.

Krause Group is a family-run business. This year, I stepped out of the Kum & Go CEO role and transitioned the role to my son, Tanner.

We expanded Krause Group’s structure by establishing shared services to better support all our businesses. Krause Group established a 2030 Vision for its CSR Program with goals in the areas of people, planet and philanthropy. 2021 was the first full year of my family’s majority ownership of Parma Calcio 1913. While the results on the pitch were not what we hoped for, we spent the year integrating the business into Krause Group. We opened the doors to our 39-room luxury hotel; Casa di Langa which was designed with sustainability at the forefront of our guiding principles.

As we publish our 4th CSR Report, I reflect on how proud I am of our Associates as we worked through another challenging year due to the pandemic. We ended the year with hope for a time where we can be together in-person again in 2022. As we look forward to 2022, we plan to further define a clear vision within each business for our people, planet and philanthropy pillars of CSR.

Kyle J. Krause

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a part of who we are as a company. We have established four pillars to use as filters for decision-making and continuous improvement. These pillars harness our values into real-world actions which guide our operating philosophy.