goals & progress

• Empower Teams : minimize panel
  Work toward 50 percent female hires for entry-level engineering roles by 2017

  What’s Next

  In 2017, we increased our female hiring for entry-level engineering roles and are continuing to work toward reaching our goal of 50 percent gender balance. For the second year in a row, 50 percent of our intern class will be female engineers. We are also increasing our investment in developing leaders in the engineering space through global programs like the Engineering Manager Immersion Program (eMIP), which is currently focused on providing curated development and leadership experiences so participants may be considered for an engineering leadership role within Target at the end of the program.

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  Pay all team members a minimum hourly wage of at least $15 by the end of 2020

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, we shared our commitment to raise our hourly minimum wage to $15 by the end of 2020. We are continuing on that path, raising our hourly minimum wage to $12 in 2018.

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  Volunteer 1 million hours annually

  

  What’s Next

  Our team members invest their time and talent across a variety of issue areas and partners that are most relevant to their community. Our team activates their passion and purpose to drive change and make a difference where we live and work daily, adding up to over a million hours annually.

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  Enhance the lives of 3 million people in the factories and surrounding communities where Target’s goods are produced

  What’s Next

  Our commitment is to elevate the lives of at least 3 million people by 2020. We are doing this through our commitment to elevate worker well-being in our supply chain, enhancing worker safety and monitoring for forced labor. See below for more details on all of these commitments.

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  Elevate worker well-being throughout our supply chain

  What’s Next

  Target engaged 10 organizations to elevate worker well-being by 2020, including Fair Trade USA, BSR’s HERproject and UNICEF, with a special focus on Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam.

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  Enhance worker safety throughout our supply chain

  What’s Next

  Target continued to fulfill its role as a founding board member of the Alliance for Bangladesh Workers Safety (the “Alliance”). Additionally, Target applied learnings distilled from the work of the Alliance to our core Responsible Sourcing program, including the way we monitor worker safety through factory audits.

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  Monitor for forced labor throughout our supply chain and take swift action to eliminate it if discovered

  What’s Next

  In support of our commitment to the Consumer Goods Forum’s Forced Labor Resolution, we published an enhanced policy and oversight program to augment protections for foreign migrant workers, including the adoption of the ‘employer pays’ policy.

  Target is working with Laborlink to pilot new ways of using technology to reach workers further back in the supply chain and to help prevent human trafficking.

   

   

• Serve Guests : minimize panel
  CHEMICALS POLICY

  Identify and remove all unwanted chemicals from Target owned-brand products and manufacturing, and encourage all supporting industries to incorporate green chemistry principles

  What’s Next

  Per our chemicals management policy released in 2017, we are working toward implementing the first Restricted Substance List (RSL) and Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL) for our textile categories. We expect to have more to report in 2019, once the lists are implemented. See below for additional chemicals policy related goals.

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  Achieve transparency to all ingredients, including generics such as fragrance, in beauty, baby care, personal care and household cleaning formulated products by 2020

  

  What’s Next

  To gain product ingredient visibility, we must first obtain permission from vendors to screen the products in scope for this goal. In 2017, approximately 38 percent of our products were approved and screened.

  We have full transparency for 15 percent of items in beauty, baby care, personal care and household cleaning formulated products. We do not have full transparency to 23 percent of our products and do not have permission to screen 62 percent of our products.

  In 2018, we will continue to work with vendors to try to obtain permission to screen products and increase our level of transparency to all ingredients.

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  Improve beauty, baby care, personal care and household cleaning product categories by formulating without phthalates, propyl- paraben, butyl-paraben, formaldehyde, formaldehyde-donors or NPEs by 2020

  

  What’s Next

  To gain product ingredient visibility, we must first obtain permission from vendors to screen the products in scope for this goal. In 2017, approximately 38 percent of our products were approved and screened.

  18 percent of items in beauty, baby care, personal care and household cleaning product categories are formulated without phthalates, propyl-paraben, butyl-paraben, formaldehyde, formaldehyde-donors or NPEs. We do not have 20 percent of our products formulated without these chemicals and do not have permission to screen 62 percent of our products.

  In 2018, we will continue to work with vendors to try to obtain permission to screen products and better understand which products meet our goal, and which need to be reformulated.

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  Improve textile products by removing added Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) from products by 2022

  What’s Next

  We have been developing our baseline and continue to identify where PFCs exist in Target's current assortment. During 2018, we plan to continue to assess how to remove PFCs from these products.

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  Improve textile products by removing added flame retardants that are potential carcino-gens or pose harm to the guest, workers or communities by 2022

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, we focused on the biggest categories impacted by added flame retardants such as children's loosefit sleepwear, sporting goods and indoor upholstered furniture. We are developing a baseline and roadmap for removing flame retardants in these and other impacted categories.

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  Invest up to $5 million in green chemistry innovation by 2022

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, we made investments in one impact Venture Capital Fund focused on green chemistry and four NGOs for a total commitment of $802,440. All investments fall within our Green Chemistry Innovation focus areas of Awareness; Transparency Infrastructure; Hazard Profiles & Other Safety Data; and Safer Alternatives to Market. We plan to invest the total $5 million along a bell curve with lesser dollar amounts in 2017 and 2021, with the bulk of funding in 2018-2020.

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  Implement Wellness Product Standards and Wellness icons to provide a common framework for what is considered nutritious, clean, transparent and responsibly sourced across food, beverage, beauty, personal and baby care and household cleaning categories

  What’s Next

  Throughout 2017, we worked to collect data and achieve transparency to assess products across food, beverage and formulated beauty, personal and baby care and household cleaning categories. Products that meet our Standards will receive Wellness icons throughout 2018 depicting key attributes, such as organic or cruelty-free, via in-store signage or on Target.com. To learn more about our Standards visit www.target.com/wellness.

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  By the end of 2018, remove artificial flavors, preservatives, sweeteners and colors from all our owned-brand children's items

  

  What’s Next

  We are working hard toward the goal that by the end of 2018 parents can choose Target owned-brand kids products that are free of artificial flavors, preservatives, sweeteners and colors.

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  Add the How2Recycle label to all owned-brand packaging by 2020 (where space allows)

  

  What’s Next

  Target is making good progress on this goal with an initial focus on our food and essentials brands. 80 percent of our owned-brand food products are compliant with the How2Recycle goal.

   

• Foster Communities : minimize panel
  Target committed $14 million to youth soccer through two new national initiatives, including an $8 million local grant program, and a $6 million partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation to build 100 new soccer play spaces by 2020

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, Target gave grants to local soccer programs totaling $1.2 million. We also committed $7 million to the U.S. Soccer Foundation to build local soccer pitches during the next three years, beginning in 2018. Both of these accomplishments put us on track to meet our 2020 soccer commitment bringing the game to more kids and families across the country.

   

• Design Tomorrow : minimize panel
  ENERGY

  Drive energy and water efficiency in our own operations and in our supply chain

  What’s Next

  Within our own domestic operations, Target is driving efficient buildings as evidenced by 80 percent (over 1,500 buildings) now ENERGY STAR Certified. Our energy efficiency programs are driven by significant investments in intelligent LED lighting systems in our stores, replacement of inefficient HVAC and refrigeration systems and smart building energy management systems to capture building efficiencies. Related to our operational water usage, Target is focused on water conservation initiatives including irrigation management and restroom fixture efficiencies.

  For more specifics on driving water efficiency, see the water-specific goals below.

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  Reduce the energy intensity per square foot in our stores by 10 percent by 2020

  

  What’s Next

  Target continues to reduce our energy intensity per square foot by pursuing efficiency projects in HVAC, lighting and refrigeration. In 2017, we reduced our energy intensity by 5.58 percent from our 2010 baseline. In 2018, we will continue to make significant investments in LED lighting conversions in pursuit of our 2020 goal.

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  Achieve ENERGY STAR certification in 80 percent of our buildings by 2020

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, we received ENERGY STAR certifications for 106 stores and two HQ buildings. Our total certifications now include 1,509 stores, four headquarter buildings and two data centers.

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  Introduce hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) free refrigerants in our food distribution centers and standalone refrigerated display cases by 2020

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, 4,571 R290 propane units have been installed, which equates to 24 percent of Target’s self-contained inventory.

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  RENEWABLE ENERGY

  We are committed to sourcing 100 percent renewable energy in our domestic operations, which we will work with partners to achieve in the coming years

  What’s Next

  Target continues to expand its investment in offsite renewable projects and install onsite solar. In addition, we are continuing to explore green tariffs with utilities, such as Puget Sound Energy and Georgia Power, which also offer a means to support our goal. Look for additional detail on our partnerships with utilities in future Corporate Responsibility Reports as we continue to work toward our 100 percent renewable energy commitment.

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  Add solar rooftop panels to 500 of our stores and distribution centers by 2020

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, Target installed an additional 86 new solar projects, bringing our total project count to 436 installations. In some cases, Target may generate the solar energy in support of utility and state clean energy programs and policies, and in those instances, we do not retain the renewable energy credits.

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  Expand our investment in offsite renewable energy to complement onsite renewables

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, Target signed a new 100 MW wind deal in Kansas, to be completed in 2019. This new project, once completed, will contribute an additional 10 percent to our goal.

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  DEFORESTATION

  Support responsibly managed forests and palm oil production

  What’s Next

  Target recognizes that the ecosystem services provided by forests around the world are irreplaceable. Forests are critical to mitigating climate change, providing a carbon sink, fostering habitat for biodiversity, providing livelihoods for communities and are a renewable resource for products and packaging throughout our owned-brand supply chain.

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  All palm oil in Target’s owned-brand food (Market Pantry, Archer Farms, Simply Balanced), personal care (up&up) and household cleaning products (up&up) will be fully traceable and sustainably sourced by 2018 or sooner

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, 37.4 percent of palm oil in products covered by our commitment were certified sustainable under one of the supply chain models. Target continues to engage its vendors on the implementation of Target’s responsible palm oil sourcing commitment.

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  Source all owned-brand, paper-based packaging from sustainably managed forests by 2022

  

  What’s Next

  Our 13.9 percent progress in 2017 is based on reporting from our Home, Hardlines and Apparel and Accessories categories. Continued work on this goal revolves around additional baseline assessments as well as vendor engagement. Today's work will allow Target to build the foundation for future progress.

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  By the end of fiscal year 2018, the Spritz brand will be fully compliant with our forest products policy

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, the Spritz team started introducing Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain-of-Custody certification to meet this goal. Negotiations for 2018 indicate that the Spritz brand is on track to meet this goal by the end of 2018.

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  WATER

  Drive sustainable water stewardship in Target owned-brand product design and manufacturing

  What’s Next

  Our partnerships with Clean by Design and the Vietnam Improvement Program have saved 3 million cubic meters of water across our supply chain. That is enough to fill 1,200 Olympic swimming pools.

  Twenty of Target's Apparel and Home wet processing facilities, as well as garment laundries, will participate in the Clean By Design program in China that launched in January 2018. Twenty-five of Target's apparel cut/sew and apparel wet processing facilities will participate in the Vietnam Improvement Program that launched in February 2018.

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  By 2025, absolute water reduction by 15 percent in stores, distribution centers and headquarters locations

  

  What’s Next

  Having accomplished our 10 percent per square foot water reduction goal in stores four years early, we are excited to announce a new goal for 2025 to reduce Target's annual water consumption by over 500 million gallons.

  Our new water usage goal is a 15 percent absolute reduction from our 2010 baseline usage in stores, distribution centers and headquarters locations. Our absolute water use reduction goal encompasses all areas of our direct operations. The change in the goal boundaries and metrics reflects the continuing importance of water conservation initiatives in our direct operations, throughout the entire business and in the communities where we operate. We have already seen a 9.9 percent absolute reduction in water usage in fiscal year 2017, which included 53 weeks instead of the typical 52 weeks.

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  WASTE

  Divert 70 percent of our retail waste from landfills through reuse or recycle programs by 2020

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, Target diverted 74 percent of retail waste from the landfill. This surpasses Target’s 2020 sustainability goal to divert 70 percent. Waste Minimization has set a goal to accomplish 75 percent diversion by the end of 2018.

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  Work to eliminate expanded polystyrene from our owned-brand packaging by 2022

  

  What’s Next

  Target has identified where expanded polystyrene is in use and is looking for replacements that provide the same level of product protection and are as readily available at an acceptable cost.

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  Create more demand for recycled packaging by creating three new end markets for recycled materials by 2020

  What’s Next

  Target is committed to making recycling easier and accessible. One way we can do that is to create demand for recycled packaging to encourage the curbside collection of more packaging materials. Target is working on many options to achieve this goal. We also joined the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) Demand Champion program.

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  Support The Recycling Partnership’s mission to improve how more than 25 percent of the U.S. population recycles by 2020

  

  What’s Next

  In 2017, Target became the first retailer to join The Recycling Partnership. With Target’s support, The Recycling Partnership has impacted recycling for six percent of the U.S. population (20 million people) through a combination of recycling-related programming and free tools and resources.

  In 2018, Target plans to leverage The Recycling Partnership’s membership to grow community outreach via state and regional relationships. Efforts include creating programming and activations to drive recycling interest and education, and amplifying The Recycling Partnership’s work in local communities with Target’s team members.

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  RAW MATERIALS

  Replace conventional polyester with polyester made from recycled plastic in Target owned-brand apparel, accessories and home products

  

  What’s Next

  We continued to expand our use of rPET with a majority of it used in Apparel and Accessories, Home and Hardlines categories.

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  By 2022, source 100 percent sustainable cotton for our owned-brand and exclusive national-brand products

  

  What’s Next

  Target is committed to sourcing 100 percent sustainable cotton for our owned-brand and exclusive national-brand products by 2022; this includes Better Cotton, Organic Cotton and Cotton LEADSTM.

  In 2017, Target became a member of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). BCI exists to make global cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sector’s future. BCI Farmers are trained to use water efficiently, reduce use of the most harmful chemicals and implement principles of decent work.

  In 2017, we sourced 4,478 Metric Tonnes of cotton as Better Cotton. That is the equivalent of almost 7,431,397 pairs of jeans.

  Note: Better Cotton is sourced via a system of Mass Balance and not physically traceable to end products. See bettercotton.org for details.