Mrs. Green’s Natural Market is offering English as a Second Language (ESL) courses for associates across Westchester County as part of a larger investment in the company’s workforce.
Irvington, New York-based Mrs. Green’s launched the ESL classes at six stores in Westchester after several requests from employees. One of the chain’s associates personally designed the curriculum for Mrs. Green’s and leads the language classes. The goal is to provide every associate with the confidence to speak to co-workers, customers, neighbors, friends and family in English, according to the grocer.
“Our associates are our most important asset,” said Natural Markets Food Group CEO Pat Brown. “These language classes continue our efforts to invest in our own people and make sure they have the resources they need—from health benefits and good wages to quality training—to feel at home.”
Added John Ravitz, EVP and COO of The Business Council of Westchester, “Investing in people and their skills is one of the best investments that a business can make—and Mrs. Green’s is incredibly smart to work with its associates on valuable initiatives such as these. We encourage all of our members to identify opportunities to expand skill sets and make sure they are delivering a premium product to Westchester customers.”
By hosting the classes at the stores themselves and maintaining a low student-to-teacher ratio, the company says it hopes to make it as easy as possible for associates to participate.
