Target announced on Friday that it is discontinuing its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, including those that seek to improve the representation of its customers in its personnel and goods.
The Minneapolis-based retailer announced in a memo to its staff that it will terminate its three-year DEI goals, cease reporting to outside organizations that focus on diversity, such as the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, and terminate a program that aimed to carry more goods from Black or minority-owned companies.
Staff received the memo on Friday, and CNBC saw it. Kiera Fernandez, Target’s chief community impact and equality officer, wrote it.
“This next chapter in our strategy has been shaped by many years of data, insights, listening, and learning,” she stated in the memo. Additionally, as a retailer that serves millions of customers daily, we recognize how critical it is to keep up with the constantly changing external environment both today and in the future in order to support Target’s expansion and success.
With the decision, the Minneapolis-based bargain store joins an increasing number of businesses that have abandoned DEI-related commitments and objectives, such as Walmart, McDonald’s, Facebook parent company Meta, and Tractor Supply. Conservative activists put pressure on some of those businesses, and others pointed to the Supreme Court’s decision against college affirmative action, which may not have forced them to do anything about the matter.
The business’s move also comes in response to executive orders issued by President Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration, which terminated government DEI programs and placed federal officials in charge of them on leave.
Target is one of many companies with longstanding diversity promises that were reinforced following the 2020 murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
Target CEO Brian Cornell stated four years ago that the murder, which took place in the company’s hometown not far from Target’s headquarters, seemed personal. He claimed that it inspired him to intensify Target’s efforts on equity and diversity.
He recalled his emotions as he viewed the video of Floyd taking his last breaths: “That could have been one of my Target team members.”
This is a developing story. For updates, please return.
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