Target CEO Brian Cornell is set to meet civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton this week in New York amid criticism over the retailer’s rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
The meeting, which was initiated by Target, follows recent decisions by the retailer to scale back DEI initiatives — a move that prompted backlash from civil rights organizations.
Though Sharpton himself has not yet called for an official boycott, he openly supports the consumer movements urging shoppers to avoid Target.
“You can’t have an election come and all of a sudden, change your old positions,” Sharpton told CNBC.
“If an election determines your commitment to fairness, then fine, you have a right to withdraw from us, but then we have a right to withdraw from you.”
Sharpton stated he is open to initiating a formal boycott if Target does not reaffirm its support and investment in the black community and black-owned businesses.
“I said, ‘If [Cornell] wants to have a candid meeting, we’ll meet,’” Sharpton said. “I want to first hear what he has to say.”
Target confirmed the planned meeting between Cornell and Sharpton but declined further comment.
The controversy arose when Target announced in January it would terminate its three-year DEI targets and cease providing company reports to external groups such as the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equity Index.
The company also ended certain measures aimed at increasing shelf space for products from Black and minority-owned businesses.
Following these announcements, Target experienced declining store visits for 10 consecutive weeks starting in late January, as recorded by data firm Placer.ai.
Before this period, store traffic had shown consistent year-over-year increases. Analysts have warned, however, that the drop in the number of shoppers could also be related to larger macroeconomic trends such as high inflation.
While this metric does not directly reflect overall sales, the decline coincided with public outcry over the company’s decision.
Rev. Jamal Bryant, an Atlanta-based pastor, has been another vocal critic of Target’s DEI policy shift.
Bryant initiated a “fast” from shopping at Target during Lent as a demonstration of black consumer influence, signaling plans to announce further actions related to the boycott soon.
Target’s policy changes mirror broader corporate caution around DEI programs, as companies including Walmart, McDonald’s and Tractor Supply have similarly scaled back their initiatives — partly due to pressures from conservative activists and politicians.
In contrast, Costco notably maintained its DEI initiatives, successfully resisting conservative shareholder proposals aimed at weakening these policies.
Sharpton’s National Action Network (NAN) recently engaged with other corporations facing similar scrutiny.
He met PepsiCo executives after the beverage giant ended its DEI targets.\
Though details of commitments from PepsiCo remain unclear, Sharpton acknowledged the significance of CEO Ramon Laguarta personally attending the discussions.
Sharpton’s meetings represent a significant counter-effort against conservative activists, like Robby Starbuck, who have aggressively targeted corporate DEI policies.
Starbuck’s campaigns have notably succeeded in pressuring several major corporations into reconsidering or eliminating diversity initiatives.
During their upcoming meeting, Sharpton plans to question Cornell on Target’s reversal from commitments made following George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis, Target’s hometown.
Cornell previously expressed deep personal and corporate commitment in the wake of Floyd’s killing, saying it profoundly impacted him.
“That could have been one of my Target team members,” he remarked in 2021.
Sharpton stressed the necessity of accountability from companies that pledged support during critical moments of civil unrest.
“You made commitments based on the George Floyd movement… what changed?” he asked.
“Are you trying to say everything’s fine now because the election changed? That’s insulting to us.”
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