Target becomes latest company to walk back its DEI initiatives

On Friday, Target became the latest company to walk back its extensive DEI initiatives.

Following in the footsteps of other large corporations, including Meta, McDonalds, Amazon, and Walmart, Target will end its diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.

The Fortune 500 Company will also end reporting to external equity groups such as the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, and abolish a program dedicated to partnering with and carrying more Black and minority-owned brands. In addition, Target will rename its Supplier Diversity Team, which will now be called the Supplier Engagement Team.

Target, which doubled down on its DEI commitment after the 2020 police-murder of George Floyd occurred just miles away from the company’s Minneapolis headquarters, announced the changes in a memo sent to employees earlier this week.

“Many years of data, insights, listening and learning have been shaping this next chapter in our strategy,” said Kiera Fernandez, Target’s chief community impact and equity officer, 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.”

The company’s decision comes just days after President Trump signed an executive order to put a stop to government DEI programming and urged companies to end “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.”

For reference, about 43% of Target’s staff is white, 31% is Latino, 15% is Black, and 5% is Asian. Unsurprisingly, close to 72% of Target’s leadership is white.