Target reported a 41.3% reduction in absolute operational greenhouse gas emissions in 2024, against a 2017 baseline, as the US retail giant highlighted progress under its Target Forward strategy.
In its 2025 Sustainability and Governance Report, Target noted that one of the most visible sustainability achievements last year was its car seat trade-in program, which led to 15.5 million lb of material being recycled.
On food waste, Target reported a 55% reduction in operational food waste across its stores, supply chain facilities and headquarters, compared with a 2017 baseline, while through its Forward Renew programme, more than of its 125 business partners have joined its efforts to transition to renewable electricity.
The group also highlighted its Vista, California store, which attained Zero Energy Certification last year, generating more energy on-site than it consumes.
Sustainability targets
Target said that it is making progress towards its sustainability goals, which include all owned brands and partnerships to meet established sustainability standards by 2025, and for all raw materials in owned brand products to be 100% recycled, regenerative, or sustainably sourced by 2030.
One area where the company is set to fall short, however, is its 2025 goal of full recyclability, compostability, or reusability for owned brand packaging, with the retailer citing broader infrastructure gaps. Virgin plastic use fell from 22% in 2023 to 10% in 2024, compared with a 2020 baseline, it noted.
In terms of workforce initiatives, meanwhile, some 85% of Target’s Tier 1 owned brand suppliers have put in place policies to advance gender equity, though here too, the company acknowledged it will not fully meet its 2025 goals.
‘Evolving our goals’
“Looking ahead, we’ll continue to regularly review our Target Forward strategy in step with our business,” commented Agata Ramallo Garcia, vice president, head of enterprise sustainability at Target. “That includes evolving our goals to ensure they remain relevant and impactful, advancing innovation across our value chain and aligning even more closely with our business priorities to meet today’s realities and tomorrow’s opportunities.
“We remain confident in the foundation we’ve built, clear-eyed about the work ahead and inspired by what’s possible. Together with our team, guests and partners, we’ll keep advancing solutions that strengthen our resilience, unlock growth and drive our progress forward.” Read more here.
