Target rolls back DEI initiatives as Trump’s term begins

US retail giant Target has announced that it will be concluding its three-year diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals, alongside other associated initiatives, in a move that seemingly aligns with the values of the new Trump administration.

In a press release, Target said that in addition to the conclusion of its DEI goals, it would also be ending its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives in 2025 “as planned” and changing the name of its ‘Supplier Diversity’ team to ‘Supplier Engagement’ to “better reflect our inclusive global procurement process”, which will include “increasing our focus on small businesses”. The company will also stop all external diversity-focused surveys.

The move comes after returning president Donald Trump took up his position at the White House, where he almost immediately denounced DEI programmes in an executive order, claiming that they caused “immense public waste and shameful discrimination”. It reverses a former executive order introduced under the previous president Joe Biden, who issued the ‘Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through Federal Government’ order on his first day in office.

While Trump’s executive order particularly points to “all aspects of the Federal Government” where he said “illegal and immoral” DEI programmes had been “forced” upon a number of agencies, the stance seems to have filtered out into other areas of business, prompting some in the retail sector to also roll back related initiatives.

DEI programmes, initially designed to bolster opportunities for women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people and other underrepresented groups, had become widespread in response to protests such as Black Lives Matter (BLM) in 2020. More recently, however, some retailers have begun reversing their efforts in this area due to increased public pressure, particularly upon Trump’s win in November, with the likes of Walmart and Amazon also changing their stances.

For Target, while the conclusion of programmes could be seen as a reversal on its DEI policies, the retailer said that it remained focused on “driving our business by creating a sense of belonging for our team, guests and communities through a commitment to inclusion”. Under the next chapter of its ‘Belonging in the Bullseye’ strategy, the company said that, among other things, it plans to recruit and retain team members who “represent the communities we serve and fuel a culture where everyone has access to opportunities”.

Further shifts will include a reevaluation of employee resource groups that are “fully focused on development and mentorship” and assessing corporate partnerships so they are “directly connected to our roadmap for growth”.