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Woke Company Report

Target – Woke Company Report

D83/100 higher is better
Originally published October 20, 2026
Brick entrance of a Target store with the bullseye logo in Northern Virginia
Photo: Target store, Northern Virginia. Brainulator9, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Full report

Points deducted by category

  1. DEI hiring, pay & suppliers: 4/15 points deducted
    • 10-K: "inclusion and belonging" language. It also states that in 2025 Target "modified and concluded certain of our initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion." (source)
    • $2B commitment to Black-owned businesses by 2025 (Target says it was fulfilled in early 2026). (source)
    • Board recommended AGAINST the 2025 affirmative-action risk report proposal (7.1% support). (source)
    • Reversal: "Belonging at the Bullseye": concluded its three-year DEI goals and REACH, and renamed Supplier Diversity to Supplier Engagement. (source)
  2. Internal policies & benefits: 0/10 points deducted
    • Reversal: Stopped participating in external surveys, including HRC's Corporate Equality Index. (source)
  3. Free speech, debanking, deplatforming & anti-military/anti-American conduct: 1/15 points deducted
    • @AskTarget, Nov 12, 2020, replying to a user complaint about Abigail Shrier's "Irreversible Damage": "Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. We have removed this book from our assortment." (tweet embedded in PJ Media, Nov 13, 2020). (source)
    • Reversal: @AskTarget, Nov 13, 2020: "Yesterday, we removed a book from Target.com based on feedback we received. We want to offer a broad assortment for our guests and are adding this book back to Target.com. We apologize for any confusion." (source)
  4. Political giving (PAC, treasury, leadership): 0/10 points deducted
  5. Advocacy, lobbying & public statements: 0/15 points deducted
  6. Marketing, products & content: 4/10 points deducted
    • 2026 Pride assortment sold on target.com (scaled back, mostly online). (source)
    • Reversal: Removed certain 2023 Pride items from stores. (source)
  7. Charitable & activist funding: 5.5/10 points deducted
    • Target's June 1, 2022 Pride page says it donated $250,000 to GLSEN, marking its "11th year of partnership, with a total of $2.1 million in support to date." (source)
    • On June 5, 2020, Target and the Target Foundation committed $10 million "to advance social justice and support rebuilding and recovery efforts," including support for "long-standing partners such as the National Urban League and the African American Leadership Forum." Then-chairman and CEO Brian Cornell: "Target stands with Black families, communities and team members." (source)
  8. ESG, activist investing & industry/regional boycotts: 0/10 points deducted
  9. China & foreign-adversary ties: 0/5 points deducted
  10. Election & voting-law activism: 4/10 points deducted
    • Target is listed as a corporate signer of the "We Stand for Democracy" two-page ad (NYT and Washington Post, Apr 14, 2021), which opposed "any discriminatory legislation or measures that restrict or prevent any eligible voter" from voting, published as states including Georgia passed election-law changes. (source)
  11. Border & immigration enforcement: 2/10 points deducted
    • Target joined the "Brief of 143 U.S. Business Associations and Companies" (Supreme Court, DHS v. Regents, Nos. 18-587/588/589, Oct 3, 2019) supporting the challengers to the rescission of DACA. (source)
  12. Faith, family & children: 4.5/10 points deducted
    • Signed HRC's coalition statement opposing state legislation. (source)
    • Target's 2023 Pride Collection (2,000+ items) included, in kids' and baby sizes: infant bodysuits in sizes 0-3 months, one reading "Bein Proud" and one with rainbow and transgender-flag-color designs (Target.com screenshots, Epoch Times, May 23, 2023); and children's books for ages 2-8, "Bye Bye, Binary," "Pride 1,2,3" and "I'm not a girl" (Reuters, May 23, 2023). The "tuck-friendly" swimsuits were adult-only per a Target spokesperson (AP) and are not counted. (source)
  13. Climate & anti-fossil-fuel advocacy: 3.5/10 points deducted
    • Target climate page (live, Oct 20, 2026): "we now expect to achieve net zero beyond 2040 and no later than 2050." The goal (set with Target Forward, June 2021) remains in place. (source)
    • Target said in its 2022 ESG Report that it "Joined the Business Ambition for 1.5°C and Race to Zero campaigns" in 2021. The SBTi companies file lists "Target Corporation" as a BA1.5 member from July 1, 2021, with its net-zero commitment marked "Expired commitment." Target's current climate page no longer lists Race to Zero. Scored as a dated 2021 act, not as a current membership. Sources: Target 2022 ESG Report (2021 timeline); SBTi companies file. (source)
  14. Second Amendment & lawful-firearms commerce: 1/10 points deducted
    • Target policy page: "we also respectfully request that guests not bring firearms to Target, even in communities where it's permitted." First announced July 2, 2014; still posted (read Oct 20, 2026). (source)
  15. Government-coordinated content moderation: 0/10 points deducted
  16. Abortion advocacy, benefits & funding: 1/10 points deducted
    • CNBC, June 28, 2022: "Target will cover employees' travel if they live in a state where abortion is banned, according to a company memo obtained by CNBC," in addition to reproductive care. Memo: "This effort became even more relevant as we learned about the Supreme Court's ruling on abortion." (source)
  17. American Workers & H-1B Displacement: 0/10 points deducted

Final verdict: Grade D

Grades run A (best) to F (worst) on a 0–100 scale, where a higher score is better: every company starts at 100 and loses points for each finding. Every finding links to its source. See how we rate for the scale and the category caps.

Woke Broke List coverage of Target