The COVID-19 pandemic and the renewed focus on tackling the issue of racism, brought on by the death of George Floyd in Target's home city of Minneapolis, is shaping many of the next steps for the retailer. In a webinar put on by the National Retail Foundation, Target chairman and CEO Brian Cornell shared how these two major events have impacted business and policies for the company. As the video of Floyd's death began to air, Cornell said his initial reaction was that this could have been one of Target's team members. His next response, he said, was to pull together this team and ensure the safety of Target associates as reaction spilled out into the streets and zeroed in on retail stores, including some Target locations. The third reaction was to then reach out to and listen to the company's African American team members, including pulling together black leaders within the organization, as well as conducting a Zoom call in which thousands shared their stories about racism.
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