discount store chain Target It said Friday it would join rival Walmart and several other major U.S. brands in slashing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, which have come under attack from conservative activists and the White House this week.
The Minneapolis-based retailer said changes to its “Belonging at the Bullseye” strategy will include eliminating one This program was installed To help Black workers build meaningful careers, improve the experience for Black shoppers, and promote Black-owned businesses after police killings george floyd In 2020.
Target, which operates about 2,000 stores nationwide and employs more than 400,000 people, said it already planned to end the racial program this year. The company said Friday that it will also meet previously set diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, goals in three-year cycles.
Goals include hiring and promoting more women and members of racial minority groups, and recruiting more diverse suppliers, including businesses owned by people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Target has long been a fierce corporate advocate for the rights of Black and LGBTQ+ people. In a memo to employees, Target's chief community impact and equity officer Kira Fernandez called it the “next chapter” in a decades-long process of creating an “inclusive work and guest environment that welcomes all.”
“Many years of data, insight, listening and learning are shaping this next chapter in our strategy,” Fernandez wrote in the memo, which Target shared Friday. “And as a retailer that serves millions of consumers every day, we understand the importance of keeping pace with the evolving outdoor landscape now and in the future.”
There is no doubt that the US civil rights landscape has changed massively in the five years since much of corporate America has adopted DEI goals in response to the Black Lives Matter protests that followed Floyd's death in Minneapolis.
In 2020, Target pledged $10 million to social justice initiatives and to rebuilding areas of the Twin Cities damaged by the riots. At the time, Target leaders said they wanted to increase its black workforce by 20% In the next three years.
A 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawing affirmative action in college admissions led conservative groups to bring lawsuits targeting corporate initiatives such as employee resource groups and hiring practices that prioritize historically marginalized groups. Or encouraged to make threats.
wal-mart, McDonald's, ford, harley-davison, john deere And Loewe is among the well-known consumer brands that have reduced or phased out their DEI commitments in recent months.
President Donald Trump this week signaled his administration's agreement with conservatives who argue that policies designed to increase minority representation by considering factors such as race, gender and sexual orientation are unconstitutional.
On his first day in office, Trump signed Executive order aims to end DEI programs within the federal governmentAccording to Trump administration officials, the order cut funding for so-called DEI initiatives across agencies in order to “eliminate DEI inside the federal government.”
A memo from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management on Tuesday called for all federal DEI employees to be furloughed as of Wednesday evening.
Unlike some companies that have retooled or discontinued their diversity initiatives, Target's work on creating a more inclusive workforce dates back to 2020, and the company has also long been seen as a leader with regard to LGBTQ+ inclusion going.
But an employee memo shared Friday said Target will no longer participate in surveys designed to measure the effectiveness of its actions, including the annual index compiled by the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBTQ+ rights organization. Target said it would further evaluate corporate partnerships to ensure they are directly linked to business objectives, but declined to share details.
Removing corporations from the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index and stopping them from sponsoring Pride activities has been a goal of DEI opponents.
Avoiding backlash from conservative customers and organizations is something Target has tried to navigate for some time. As transgender rights became a more prominent issue in 2016, the company announced that “inclusivity is a core belief at Target” and said it supports transgender employees and customers in using the restroom or fitting room that is ” is consistent with their gender identity.”
But after some customers threatened to boycott Target stores, the company said more stores would provide a single-toilet bathroom with a door that can be locked.
In 2023, Target faced an anti-LGBTQ campaign that went viral on social media. Campaign Employees were intimidated and there were some incidents of damage to products and displays In the shops. In response, Target removed some items that it said caused the most “volatile” reactions from opponents.
The company will not carry Pride Month products in its stores in 2024.
Nevertheless, some major companies have resisted public pressure to step back from their diversity plans. On Thursday, Costco shareholders rejected a resolution urging the wholesale club operator to evaluate any risks posed by its diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
More than 98% of shareholders voted against the proposal presented by a Washington-based conservative think tank, according to preliminary results shared by Costco executives. Costco's board of directors recommended a no vote.