Krause Group is also leading the charge in anchoring a USL and GSL Franchise in Des Moines, a bold initiative to bring professional soccer to the heart of the Midwest. In partnership with the City of Des Moines, we are transforming a 38-acre Superfund site in downtown Des Moines into a revitalized, state-of-the-art, soccer-optimized stadium and mixed-use district. The Pro Iowa Stadium and Global Plaza will not only host Iowa’s first professional men’s and women’s soccer teams but will also serve as a cultural hub and economic catalyst for Central Iowa.
Our journey began more than six decades ago with the launch of Kum & Go, a family-owned convenience store business that grew to over 400 locations across 13 states. In 2023, we celebrated the next chapter of that legacy with the sale of Kum & Go. This evolution has allowed us to refocus our efforts on purpose-driven investment and cross-cultural innovation.
Krause Group and our family of brands are proud to align with three of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a global framework aimed at addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. Specifically, we continue to drive efforts on SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 13: Climate Action. Across our businesses, we dedicate 10% of profits, Associate volunteerism, and community engagement to advancing these goals and driving long-term, meaningful impact.
SDG 5 calls for achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. This is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. There has been progress over the last decades: more girls are going to school; fewer girls are forced into early marriage; more women are serving in parliament and positions of leadership; and laws are being reformed to advance gender equality.
Despite these gains discriminatory laws and social norms remain pervasive, women continue to be underrepresented at all levels of leadership, and 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, it’s crucial for a sustainable future. It’s proven that empowering women and girls helps economic growth and development.
SDG 10 aims to reduce inequality within and among countries. This requires equitable access to opportunities and the elimination of discriminatory laws, policies, and practices. Income inequality is a global problem that requires global solutions. It affects countries regardless of their level of economic development. To reduce inequality, policies should be universal in principle, paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations. This includes ensuring that people have access to education, healthcare, and decent jobs, regardless of their background or circumstances. Migration, both within and across borders, is also closely tied to inequality, and must be managed with safe, regular pathways and protection for the vulnerable.
SDG 13 calls for urgent measures to combat climate change and its impacts, from rising temperatures and extreme weather events to shifting wildlife populations and habitats. Without action, the world’s average surface temperature is projected to rise significantly over the 21st century. The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, represents a global framework to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. Governments, businesses, and individuals must take action to reduce emissions, enhance capacity for adaptation, and support developing countries in their own climate mitigation efforts.