Target officially rolls back DEI initiative: Everything we know so far

Target recently became the latest company to join others in rolling back its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program. In a memo that was shared with its employees, Target mentioned that it will stop its three-year DEI goals and will also no longer answer to external diversity-focused groups like the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.

With this, the company is stopping its initiative of carrying more black-focused or black-owned businesses as well, which was started after the "Black Lives Matter" protests that took place following the death of George Floyd in 2020.

However, it is worth noting that no job cuts were made following the company's announcement.

READ MORE: "Inclusion is appropriate and necessary": Costco defends its DEI policies as other US companies scale them back

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Target released a memo on Friday announcing that it is rolling back DEI initiatives

In a memo released on Friday, Target announced that it will roll back its DEI initiatives, which have been in place since 2020, after the wave of "Black Lives Matter" protests that took place all over the country.

The statement, released by Kiera Fernandez, chief community impact and equity officer at Target, mentioned,

"“Many years of data, insights, listening and learning have been shaping this next chapter in our strategy. 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.

Target had taken extra initiative to make sure that diversity and inclusion policies were enforced in its workplaces after the death of George Floyd. Target CEO Brian Cornell mentioned that the fact that the murder took place just a little distance from the Target headquarters in Minnesota felt very personal to him.

At the time, the company announced that it would increase Black representation in its workforce by at least 20% over the following year. Moreover, it would also allow black business owners to showcase and sell their products at Target stores across the nation to show their support for diversity and inclusion.

However, now having rolled back its DEI initiatives, Target joins other big giants like McDonalds and Walmart as one of the many brands to have rolled back DEI initiatives following Trump's reelection.

READ MORE: Why is McDonald’s moving away from DEI practices? Reasons explained