Target Becomes Latest Major US Company to Scale Back DEI Initiatives

January 24, 2025 TruthUSA

The retail behemoth aligns itself with notable companies such as McDonald’s, Walmart, Amazon, and Tractor Supply Co.

On Friday, Target announced it is the newest major U.S. retailer to retract its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

According to a fact sheet issued by Target on January 24, the company will be concluding its “three-year diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives” and will phase out its “Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives by 2025, as previously planned.”

Additionally, the company announced it will cease all external diversity-related surveys, including the Corporate Equality Index initiated by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

Target will commence a review of its corporate partnerships and will ensure that its employee resource groups concentrate on mentorship and community development efforts.

“These communities will remain open to everyone,” the company stated.

Based in Minneapolis, the retailer, which operates thousands of stores nationwide, will also rebrand its “supplier diversity team” to “supplier engagement” to better align with its “global procurement strategy,” with an increased emphasis on collaborating with small businesses.

“In 2025, we will accelerate efforts in significant areas and implement alterations aimed at promoting growth while adapting to the changing external circumstances. We will continuously evaluate and modify our approach as deemed necessary,” the company stated.

The now-dissolved program aimed to enhance hiring and promotions for women and members of racial minority groups, as well as to involve minority-owned suppliers.

“A multitude of years’ worth of data, insights, and learning experiences have influenced this next phase of our strategy,” Kiera Fernandez, Target’s executive vice president and chief community impact and equity officer, expressed in a memo. “As a retailer serving millions of customers daily, we recognize the necessity of aligning with the fluctuating external environment, both now and in the future.”

In recent months, various significant U.S. corporations have either terminated or scaled back their DEI policies, including McDonald’s, Harley-Davidson, Walmart, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Tractor Supply Co., John Deere, Lowe’s, and others.

Earlier in the month, fast-food leader McDonald’s stated it would discontinue several DEI initiatives, redirecting its focus to “integrating inclusion practices” that enhance its operations into its “everyday processes.”

In August 2024, Harley-Davidson revealed on X that it too would terminate its DEI measures.

“We have not operated a DEI function since April 2024, and we do not maintain a DEI function today,” the company announced.

Recently, Target has dealt with intermittent demands from consumers and social media users to boycott the store, chiefly due to the company’s decision to feature “Pride Month” merchandise. However, the company indicated last year that it would restrict such offerings, amid a lengthy boycott against Bud Light that had engaged a transgender influencer for product promotion.

While advocates of DEI initiatives argue that such measures can lessen discrimination based on identity or disability and enhance representation across various groups, critics like The Heritage Foundation contend that it resembles a form of Marxist identity politics. There has been a notable public backlash against DEI policies recently, especially following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to outlaw affirmative action in July 2023.

DEI may face increased scrutiny in the near future, as President Donald Trump enacted several executive orders mandating the suspension of all federal DEI-related personnel and instructing action to identify any newly rebranded DEI offices.

“These initiatives have divided Americans by race, misallocated taxpayer funds, and led to heinous discrimination,” stated a memo distributed to federal employees on Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source link

You May Also Like

The Spread of Whooping Cough: A Report

Petition Calls for Film and TV Productions to Remain in Los Angeles Following Wildfires

VA Secretary Collins to Newsmax: Aiming to Elevate Standards at Veterans Affairs

Leave a Reply Cancel reply