Abdelrahman
Target’s Diversity Initiatives Under Fire: Daughters of Co-founder Speak Out
NEW YORK (AP) — The daughters of Bruce Dayton, a co-founder of Target, are voicing their dismay over the retailer’s recent decisions to retract its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which have faced significant criticism from conservative groups and the federal government.
In letters published on Thursday in The Financial Times and the Los Angeles Times, Anne and Lucy Dayton expressed their concern regarding the direction Target has taken. They highlighted that their father, along with his four brothers, played a pivotal role in growing what started as a Minneapolis department store into the massive brand now known as Target, emphasizing a commitment to customer satisfaction and community welfare.
Bruce Dayton passed away in 2015 at the age of 97.
“We are troubled by how swiftly the business sector has succumbed to the retaliatory measures of the current administration,” the sisters stated. “It is not against the law for a company to establish a business model based on its own ethical and moral standards.”
They further commented, “By capitulating, Target and others are compromising the very principles that have driven their success.”
Target has opted not to provide a response at this time.
At the end of January, Target announced updates to its “Belonging at the Bullseye” strategy, which involves discontinuing a program aimed at assisting Black employees, enhancing the shopping experience for Black customers, and supporting Black-owned businesses. This initiative was launched in response to the tragic killing of George Floyd in 2020.
With nearly 2,000 stores and a workforce exceeding 400,000 across the nation, Target mentioned that the cancellation of this racial program was already in the works for the current year. The retailer also indicated plans to wrap up other DEI objectives that were previously established on a three-year timeline.
Prominent corporations like Walmart, McDonald’s, Ford, Goldman Sachs, and John Deere have also recently dialed back or entirely ended their DEI commitments, joining a trend among well-known consumer brands.
