Climate Change Data

Target Corporation

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2021-01-31 to 2022-01-29, 2022, 2023-01-29 to 2024-02-03)

Reporting Period: 2021-01-31 to 2022-01-29

Environmental Metrics

Scope 1 Emissions:734,799 mtCO2e
Scope 2 Emissions:1,011,943 mtCO2e (market-based)
Scope 3 Emissions:60,664,000 mtCO2e
Renewable Energy Share:24%
Total Energy Consumption:20,153,181 GJ
Water Consumption:11,399 ML
Waste Generated:1,111,107 tons (non-hazardous)

ESG Focus Areas

  • Circularity
  • Climate
  • Regenerative resources
  • Human capital management
  • Serving communities
  • Diversity
  • Ethical business
  • Responsible supply chains

Environmental Achievements

  • Achieved a 32% absolute reduction in operational emissions
  • Retrofitted our first net zero energy store
  • Diverted 68.2% of construction waste and 80.8% of operational waste from landfill
  • Launched Target Zero initiative to help guests find products with sustainable packaging

Social Achievements

  • Met or exceeded almost all of our 2019–2021 diversity, equity and inclusion goals
  • Set a new starting wage range of $15 to $24 per hour
  • Launched Dream to Be, a debt-free education program for team members
  • Expanded access to comprehensive health benefits for hourly team members
  • Contributed nearly 900,000 hours of volunteering

Governance Achievements

  • Maintained ESG Prime status
  • Recognized on the CDP’s Supplier Engagement Rating Leaderboard 2021
  • Updated Business Partner Code of Conduct to include equity and inclusion initiatives

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Become a net zero enterprise by 2040
Medium-term Goals:
  • Achieve zero waste to landfill in U.S. operations by 2030
  • Source 100% of electricity from renewable sources for operations by 2030
  • Achieve 50% absolute reduction in operations emissions (scopes 1 and 2) by 2030
  • Achieve 30% absolute reduction in supply chain emissions (scope 3) by 2030
Short-term Goals:
  • Reduce annual total virgin plastic by 20% in owned brand Food, Beauty and Essentials businesses by 2025
  • Have 100% of owned brand plastic packaging be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025
  • Reduce operational food waste by 50% by 2025
  • Increase representation of Black team members across the company by 20% by 2023

Environmental Challenges

  • Supply chain disruptions
  • Impacts of unpredictable weather events
  • Reducing scope 3 emissions
  • Achieving zero waste to landfill
Mitigation Strategies
  • Driving sustainability and emissions accountability across our supply chain
  • Developing alternative sourcing strategies
  • Investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy
  • Partnering with suppliers on emissions reduction strategies
  • Implementing waste reduction, recycling and reuse programs
  • Improving forecasting and replenishment strategy for food waste reduction

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: 3,317 factories audited in FY2021

Responsible Procurement
  • Standards of Vendor Engagement (SOVE)
  • Business Partner Code of Conduct
  • Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) self-assessment
  • Supplier diversity initiatives

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Extreme weather events
Transition Risks
  • Regulatory changes, market shifts
Opportunities
  • Development of energy-efficient products
  • Renewable energy investments

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD, UNGPRF, UN SDGs

Third-party Assurance: Some climate and energy data independently verified to a limited level of assurance

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Goal 1
  • Goal 2
  • Goal 3
  • Goal 4
  • Goal 5
  • Goal 6
  • Goal 7
  • Goal 8
  • Goal 9
  • Goal 10
  • Goal 11
  • Goal 12
  • Goal 13
  • Goal 14
  • Goal 15
  • Goal 16
  • Goal 17

See SDG Index for details

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Target Zero products
  • Sensory-friendly and adaptive apparel

Awards & Recognition

  • ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year (7 years)
  • Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies
  • Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For

Reporting Period: 2022

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:67,197,000 tCO2e/year (Scope 3)
Scope 1 Emissions:779,858 tCO2e/year
Scope 2 Emissions:891,321 tCO2e/year (market-based)
Scope 3 Emissions:67,197,000 tCO2e/year
Renewable Energy Share:60% of total energy use
Total Energy Consumption:20,835,316 GJ/year
Water Consumption:11,229 ML/year (direct operations)
Waste Generated:1,314,390 tons/year (non-hazardous operational waste)
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed

ESG Focus Areas

  • Climate
  • Circularity
  • Resource Use
  • Supporting Our Team Members
  • Serving and Strengthening Communities
  • Operating Ethically
  • Responsible Supply Chains

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced scope 3 emissions by 8% from FY2021
  • Achieved interim milestone to source 60% of electricity from renewable sources for operations three years early
  • Opened first net zero energy store in Vista, California
  • Reduced GHG emissions from own operations (scope 1 and 2) by 34.9% from 2017

Social Achievements

  • Set a new starting wage range of $15 to $24 an hour nationwide
  • Provided faster and expanded access to health care benefits
  • Launched Circle of Champions, an internal advisory council, to focus on inclusion practices
  • Donated 124.5 million pounds of food (equivalent to 87.7 million meals)

Governance Achievements

  • Formalized a governance structure for Target Forward
  • Introduced Target Forward Executive Steering Committee and Target Forward Leadership Team
  • Expanded data controls, invested in data management technologies, and solidified cross-functional processes to enhance reporting accuracy

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the enterprise by 2040
  • Have 100% of owned brand products be designed for a circular future by 2040
Medium-term Goals:
  • Achieve 30% absolute reduction in supply chain emissions (scope 3) by 2030
  • Achieve 50% absolute reduction in operations emissions (scopes 1 and 2) by 2030
  • Source 100% of electricity from renewable sources for operations by 2030
  • Achieve zero waste to landfill in U.S. operations by 2030
  • Divert 90% of waste from landfill by 2030
  • Have leading raw materials in owned brand products be 100% recycled, regenerative, or sustainably sourced by 2030
Short-term Goals:
  • Reduce water consumption by 10% by 2025 (implied)
  • Reduce annual total virgin plastic in owned brand packaging by 20% by 2025
  • Have 100% of owned brand plastic packaging be recyclable, compostable, or reusable by 2025
  • Reduce operational food waste by 50% by 2025
  • Source 60% of electricity from renewable sources for operations by 2025
  • Engage 80% of suppliers by spend to set science-based scope 1 and 2 targets by 2023
  • Have 100% of owned brand suppliers have policies and programs to advance gender equity by 2025
  • Remove intentionally added PFAS from owned brand products by 2025
  • Comply with ZDHC progressive level wastewater standard by 2025

Environmental Challenges

  • Increased scope 3 emissions (12% from 2017 baseline)
  • Increased total virgin plastic in owned brand Food and Beverage and Essentials and Beauty packaging (8% increase against 2020 baseline)
  • Extreme volatility in the egg market and the impact of avian influenza on cage-free egg production
  • Availability and cost of third-party certified materials for forest products
Mitigation Strategies
  • Working with suppliers to set science-based emission reduction targets
  • Exploring reuse and refill alternatives to reduce virgin plastic
  • Collaborating across value chain to drive progress in cage-free egg production
  • Re-evaluating approach to meeting forest product sourcing goals

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Over 5,000 audits conducted in 2022

Responsible Procurement
  • Standards of Vendor Engagement (SOVE)
  • Just & Equitable Supply Chain (JESC) requirements
  • Supplier Diversity program

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Extreme weather
  • Flooding
  • Hurricanes
Transition Risks
  • Regulatory changes
  • Market shifts
  • Price and grid volatility
Opportunities
  • Renewable energy adoption
  • Energy efficiency improvements
  • Sustainable brands and products

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD, UNGPRF

Certifications: TRUE Zero Waste, ENERGY STAR

Third-party Assurance: Limited assurance for some climate and energy data; no external assurance for the remainder of the report

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Goal 1
  • Goal 2
  • Goal 3
  • Goal 4
  • Goal 5
  • Goal 6
  • Goal 7
  • Goal 8
  • Goal 9
  • Goal 10
  • Goal 11
  • Goal 12
  • Goal 13
  • Goal 14
  • Goal 15
  • Goal 16
  • Goal 17

Report details how initiatives contribute to each goal

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Target Clean products
  • Target Zero products
  • Products with recycled content
  • Adaptive apparel

Awards & Recognition

  • Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index Member
  • 100% on Disability Equality Index
  • ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year

Reporting Period: 2023-01-29 to 2024-02-03

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:858,685,000 tCO2e/year (Scope 3)
Scope 1 Emissions:818,148 tCO2e/year
Scope 2 Emissions:772,389 tCO2e/year (market-based)
Scope 3 Emissions:858,685,000 tCO2e/year
Renewable Energy Share:33%
Total Energy Consumption:21,380,862 GJ/year
Water Consumption:10,844 ML/year
Waste Generated:1,507,626 tons/year
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed

ESG Focus Areas

  • Climate
  • Human Capital Management
  • Compensation, Benefits and Well-being
  • Workplace Health and Safety
  • Talent and Development
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Serving and Strengthening Communities
  • Community Impact
  • Access to Products and Services
  • Ethical Business
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • Public Policy and Civic Engagement
  • Data Privacy and Cybersecurity
  • Product Safety and Quality
  • Climate-Related Risks and Opportunities
  • Circularity
  • Product and Packaging Design
  • Responsible Supply Chains
  • Waste Elimination and Reduction
  • Sourcing and Manufacturing Practices
  • Human Rights
  • Animal Welfare
  • Resource Use
  • Environmental Impacts of Products

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced GHG emissions from own operations (scope 1 and 2) by 38% from 2017.
  • Achieved 2025 interim milestone to source 60% of electricity from renewable sources for operations three years early.
  • Diverted 60% of construction waste and 85% of operational waste from landfill in 2023.
  • 97% of palm oil sourced for owned brand products was RSPO certified.

Social Achievements

  • Introduced a comprehensive non-exempt paid sick plan in 2023.
  • Donated 154.8 million pounds of food (equivalent to 113 million meals) in 2023.
  • 100% of store and supply chain facility team members earn above locally applicable minimum wage.
  • Women team members are paid 100% of the pay for men.

Governance Achievements

  • Expanded data controls using data management technologies and further evolved cross-functional processes.

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • By 2040, achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Medium-term Goals:
  • By 2030, source 100% of electricity from renewable sources.
  • By 2030, achieve 32.5% absolute reduction in supply chain emissions.
  • By 2030, achieve zero waste to landfill in U.S. operations.
  • By 2030, have leading raw materials be 100% recycled, regenerative, or sustainably sourced.
Short-term Goals:
  • By 2025, 100% of owned brand suppliers will pay workers digitally.
  • By 2025, reduce operational food waste by 50% from a 2017 baseline.
  • By 2025, source 60% of electricity from renewable sources.
  • By 2025, remove intentionally added PFAS from owned brand products.

Environmental Challenges

  • Supply chain disruptions
  • Water stress in certain regions
  • Climate change impacts on operations and supply chain
Mitigation Strategies
  • Developed alternative sourcing strategies
  • Investing in water efficiency projects
  • Building internal awareness and readiness for climate change impacts
  • Implementing operational efficiencies

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Over 5,000 audits conducted in 2023

Responsible Procurement
  • Business Partner Code of Conduct
  • Standards of Vendor Engagement
  • Higg FEM self-assessment

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Extreme weather
  • Flooding
Transition Risks
  • Regulatory changes
  • Market shifts
Opportunities
  • Development of energy-efficient products
  • Renewable energy investments

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD, TNFD, UNGPRF, UN SDGs

Certifications: ENERGY STAR

Third-party Assurance: Limited independent verification for some climate and energy data

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Goal 1
  • Goal 2
  • Goal 3
  • Goal 4
  • Goal 5
  • Goal 6
  • Goal 7
  • Goal 8
  • Goal 9
  • Goal 10
  • Goal 11
  • Goal 12
  • Goal 13
  • Goal 14
  • Goal 15
  • Goal 16
  • Goal 17

The report details how Target's initiatives contribute to each of the UN SDGs.

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Target Zero products
  • Target Clean products

Awards & Recognition

  • ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year (9 consecutive years)