DEI Backlash

Target Throws Out DEI

“Target’s recent changes to its diversity and inclusion programs have also angered some longtime LGBTQ supporters.

Twin Cities Pride, an LGBTQ advocacy group that hosts Minnesota’s second largest Pride festival, said it was “deeply disappointed” in Target’s changes and dropped Target as a sponsor of this year’s Pride festival after 18 years.

Twin Cities Pride said the change would mean losing $50,000 in funding and called on supporters to help fill the funding gap. The group raised $80,000 from 1,500 people in three days. “Twin Cities Pride made the bold decision to part ways with Target as a sponsor, standing firm in our commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion and equity,” the organization said.” [CNN.com, Nathaniel Meyersohn and Eva McKend, February 3, 2025 – Target was one of the most outspoken supporters of DEI. It’s changed its tune]

Most Support Companies that are Keeping Their DEI Programs

• Costco
• Goldman Sachs
• JP Morgan Chase
• Apple

References:

• TheConversation.com – Understanding the backlash against corporate DEI — and how to move forward

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Recommended Reading

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion For Dummies

The global workforce and marketplace will continue to undergo dramatic demographic shifts―redefining the workplace, the workers, and how work gets done. Organizations that want to attract and retain the best talent and to capitalize on the full breath of their perspectives and experiences must first reflect our society as a whole, and secondly, must create the right kind of work environment where ALL talent can thrive. That means valuing diversity, creating more equitable policies and practices, and fostering a welcoming and inclusive culture.

In Diversity, Equity & Inclusion For Dummies, global workforce expert, and three-time Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Shirley Davis unveils her extensive collection of real-world experiences, stories, case studies, checklists, assessments, tips, and strategies that will give you a deeper understanding of the business impact of DEI and how your role as a leader can contribute to your company’s long term success.

You’ll learn:

• The fundamentals of DEI and how it drives business performance and impact
• How to conduct comprehensive DEI organizational assessments to identify systemic and institutional inequities
• Tactics and strategies for having necessary but difficult conversations, and how to make them impactful
• Skills and competencies that every leader needs in order to effectively lead the new generation of workers
• How to operationalize DEI across your organization, measure its impact, and sustain it long term

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion For Dummies is a must-read guide for any leader at any level who wants to ready themselves for the workplace of the future and reap the benefits of a full spectrum diverse ideas, backgrounds, and experiences. It also belongs on the reading lists of human resources and DEI professionals actively seeking to go broader, deeper, and have greater impact in their DEI work.