The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to meet with Target CEO Brian Cornell this week to discuss the company’s recent pullback from its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
The meeting, which is set to take place in New York, was reportedly requested by Target as the Minneapolis-based retailer faces calls for a boycott following its recent policy changes regarding its DEI efforts.
Earlier this year, Target said it would roll back programs aimed at promoting the fair treatment of underrepresented communities, joining a growing list of U.S. corporations following President Trump’s lead in “abolish[ing] all discriminatory diversity, equity and inclusion nonsense.”
A spokesperson for the National Action Network (NAN), the nonprofit founded by the influential civil rights leader in 1991, confirmed the meeting on Thursday but declined to share details about its purpose. However, on Wednesday, Sharpton indicated that the retailer’s drastic policy shift — and a potential backlash — will be a primary focus of the discussion.
“You can’t have an election come and all of a sudden, change your old positions,” Sharpton said in an interview with CNBC. “If an election determines your commitment to fairness then fine, you have a right to withdraw from us, but then we have a right to withdraw from you.”
Among the policy changes announced in January, the discount retailer said it would conclude its three-year DEI goals, rebrand its “supplier diversity” team as “supplier engagement” and phase out the company’s Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiative.
Launched in 2020 in the wake of the George Floyd killing, REACH was announced as part of the company’s “steadfast commitment to stand with Black families and fight against racism,” and was designed to create a workspace where Black employees could “build meaningful careers and experience success at every level.”
NAN has previously announced plans to call for boycotts of companies that have “abandoned” DEI policies.
On Tuesday, Sharpton and top leaders in the organization met with PepsiCo officials at the company’s global headquarters in Purchase, N.Y. “to discuss our grievances over reports they were rolling back nearly $500 million in DEI commitments,” the civil rights leader said.
After the “constructive conversation” with PepsiCo Chairman Ramon Laguarta and PepsiCo North America CEO Steven Williams, Sharpton said the talks would continue with follow-up meetings “within the next few days.”
Sharpton and NAN Chairman Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson will then “make a final determination and recommendation to the organization on how we’ll move forward with PepsiCo, as we continue to engage with corporations we may either boycott or buy-cott.”
With News Wire Services
https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/04/17/al-sharpton-target-meeting-dei-cuts/