Target on Friday announced it was slashing its DEI policies – a major reversal for a previously outspoken LGBTQ and minority advocate amid growing attacks on the so-called “woke” policies.
The Minneapolis, Minn.-based retailer said it will end its three-year diversity, equity and inclusion goals and stop its reports to the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, according to an internal memo obtained by The Post.
Target also said it was trashing a program focused on carrying more products from black- and minority-owned businesses, as the retailer has been scaling back its LGBTQ Pride collections after a disastrous launch that outraged customers and hurt sales.
“Many years of data, insights, listening and learning have been shaping this next chapter in our strategy,” Kiera Fernandez, Target’s chief community impact and equity officer, said in the memo.
“And as a retailer that serves millions of consumers every day, we understand the importance of staying in step with the evolving external landscape, now and in the future – all in service of driving Target’s growth and winning together,” she added.
Target’s three-year DEI goals included hiring and promoting more women and minority employees, and recruiting more diverse suppliers, including businesses owned by people of color, women, LGBT people, veterans and people with disabilities.
Walmart, Meta and McDonald’s have also recently backtracked on their DEI initiatives amid conservative backlash, along with companies like John Deere, Tractor Supply and Harley-Davidson, which have large presences in red states.
After George Floyd’s murder in 2020, and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests, major US retailers ramped up their diversity efforts.
But a 2023 Supreme Court decision ruling against race-based affirmative action in college admissions has emboldened conservative groups to slap firms with lawsuits based on their DEI policies.
Target – which operates nearly 2,000 stores across the country and employs more than 400,000 people – is one of the largest retailers to bend the knee to conservative pressure.
And it’s a stark reversal from Target’s previously “woke” image.
Just two years ago, the retailer spurred outrage when it launched a “Pride” clothing collection that included LGBTQ-friendly gear for children.
This week, President Trump added fuel to the fire when he argued in favor of “merit-based” policies.
On Monday, during his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order that aims to end all DEI mandates and policies across the federal government.
The following day, he ordered all federal employees working on these policies be put on paid leave while his administration works to shut down their offices.
Major retailers have also faced pressure from activists online, like conservative Robby Starbuck, who has claimed victory over a number of companies rolling back their DEI initiatives, including Walmart.
Shortly after news broke that Target was rolling back its DEI policies, Starbuck posted on X: “Big win coming,” with fire emojis.
“It got leaked but I’m making the video now,” he added.
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