Written by Cedart Cavalli
(Reuters) – goal The retail company (NYSE 🙂 that it will end its diversity, fair and inclusive program this year, which is the latest American company that is away from such policies in the face of strong auditing from conservative groups.
Over the past year, many major companies, including Walmart (Nyse :), Amazon (Nasdaq :), and Meta (Nasdaq :), about their DEI policies, and earlier this week, President Donald Trump issued directives For federal agencies to finish DEI. Programs have urged private companies to end “DEI's illegal discrimination and preferences”.
However, the decision of the retail, which is based in Minneapolis, was met with remarkable criticism, as some indicated that the company's reputation in totalitarianism helped it attract the base of consumers younger and more diverse.
“For SARTT, with a comprehensive audience, this is their copy of the brand's suicide,” said Eric Chevir of the Los Angeles -based Los Angeles, which provides advice to American companies and Hollywood celebrities.
Targt also said it ends ethnic equality an act (WA 🙂 and this year's change initiatives, which pledged to invest more than $ 2 billion in black -owned companies by the end of 2025. The initiative included plans to add more than 500 black and financing brands. A program from its internal media company, Roundel, to increase the display of various owned brands through paid media.
The retail seller added that he changed his “diversity of suppliers” team to “the participation of suppliers” in an attempt to better reflect the “comprehensive global purchase” process.
“Target is making a mistake by ending its DEI goals with the diversity of its customer base significantly,” said Silcerter Turner, a member of the Congress of the Eighteenth Congress in Texas.
DEI programs, designed to enhance opportunities for women, ethnic minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community and other groups represented by a traditional minimal representation, gained momentum after the protests that prevailed in the country in 2020 due to the police of unarmed black fire. However, they have been criticized by Trump and conservative groups as discriminants against other Americans and undermining the merit of employment and promotion.
“Many years of data, visions, listening and learning have contributed to the formation of this next chapter in our strategy,” Keira Fernandez, chief official of societal influence and shares at Targt, said in a note, adding that it is important to keep pace with the “development” external landscape. The company did not comment outside its statement.
According to the 2023 workforce report issued by Target, the workforce in retail stores consists of 56% of female employees and 43% of male employees. The ethnic and ethnic distribution was similarly balanced, as 56% of the employees of the colored and 43% of the eggs were.
Target stores host the LGBTQ commodities during the month of pride, attracting a more diverse customer base than its largest rival Walmart, which has announced discounts in some of its DEI initiatives late last year. However, in 2023, TARGET withdrew some of the goods that carry the LGBTQ character from stores, noting the increasing confrontations between shoppers and employees and products of products on the ground.
In 2016, Targt said that transgender employees and customers can use bathrooms that are compatible with their sexual identity, at a time when a hot national debate arose on this issue. He was the first great retail seller to deal with this issue.
At a retail conference in New York this month, Brian Cornell, CEO of Targt, said that the company's growth during the past years came as a result of investing in people and creating a culture of care and growth.
On Thursday, Costo's shareholders voted (NASDAQ 🙂 with an overwhelming majority against a proposal requesting a report on the risk of preserving diversity and inclusion initiatives.
