When it comes to Target’s vision for our business, founder George Draper Dayton summed it up best:
“Success is making ourselves useful in the world, valuable to society, helping in lifting the level of humanity, so conducting ourselves that when we go, the world will be somewhat better of our having lived the brief span of our lives.”
Dayton shared that sentiment nearly 90 years ago, but his belief in the link between Target’s success and our positive impact on people and the planet still fuels our business today. And now, we’re building on that strong legacy of corporate responsibility with a new sustainability strategy we’re calling Target Forward, with the aim to co-create a more equitable and regenerative future with our guests, partners and communities. Take a look:
“As a company and a member of the global community, it’s imperative for the health of both our business and our planet that we embrace new ways to move forward,” said Brian Cornell, chairman and chief executive officer of Target. “We know sustainability is tied to business resiliency and growth, and that our size and scale can drive change that is good for all. Target Forward influences every corner of our business, deepens our collaboration with our partners and builds on our past efforts to ensure a better future for generations to come.”
How will we co-create a more equitable and regenerative future? Here’s a closer look at our ambitions and the goals that’ll help us get there:
Building on our legacy of supporting people and planet
Sustainability and inclusivity are already part of who we are, and Target Forward marks a new era for our company, one where every team member will have an important role to play. And we’re building on great momentum, including these recent initiatives:
- We’ve already designed a number of our owned brands to feature sustainably sourced or recycled materials — including Everspring, Universal Thread and All In Motion — and we've trained more than 2,000 team members on circular design principles to carry that work forward.
- In 2019, we set science-based targets to reduce our emissions as well as those throughout our supply chain. And we just committed to join the Business Ambition for 1.5°C, helping ensure that our emissions won’t contribute to atmospheric warming of more than 1.5 degrees.
- Earlier this year, we secured three new solar and wind energy contracts that, together with our existing partnerships, mean we’ll purchase nearly 50% of Target’s electricity from renewable sources once these projects are operational.
- We’ve made strides in our social justice efforts as well with the guidance of our Racial Equity Action and Change committee, including committing $2 billion to support Black-owned businesses and launching our Target Scholars program for 1,000 students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
- And as always, we remain committed to our team. In 2020, we invested an additional $1 billion in the health, safety and well-being of our team members, including implementing a $15 hourly starting wage in the U.S.
Read what our partners are saying
“Target’s new sustainability commitments can make a real impact. We at Unilever love seeing the goal of net zero emissions, which aligns with ours. Carbon reduction is needed to work toward a more sustainable world for all. Unilever and our purpose-driven brands look forward to partnering with Target to help drive our industry even further in improving the health of our planet.” —Fabian Garcia, President of Unilever North America
“Target has been a Business for Social Responsibility member for more than 10 years, and we are proud to have worked as their partner in developing this ambitious new sustainability platform. We strongly believe that in setting these goals, Target is charting a bold new course based on a clear-eyed understanding that sustainable business strategies are crucial not only for lasting business success, but for building a truly just and sustainable world.” —Laura Gitman, Chief Operating Officer of Business for Social Responsibility (BSR)
“Prosperity Now is excited about Target’s new sustainability initiative, and we look forward to continuing our partnership as they pursue ways to accelerate equity and opportunity building. This work is closely aligned with our mission of building pathways for all people to prosper. We welcome Target’s renewed commitment to the pursuit of financial security for all and value their contributions to our own efforts to ensure that every family and individual has the opportunity to save, build wealth and thrive.” —Gary Cunningham, President and CEO of Prosperity Now
Ready to dive deeper? Head over to Target.com/targetforward to see our full list of signature goals.
