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As described on their website, Target recognizes that the ecosystem services provided by forests around the world are irreplaceable. Target is committed to working with its owned brand suppliers to protect forests by eliminating deforestation and forest degradation from its value chain.
As a retailer with a wide variety of products, Target understands the responsibility it has to protect forests around the world. Target is committed to sustainably sourcing wood, paper, and wood-based fibers in its priority owned brands and wood-based fibers of its packaging.
Target introduced its Responsible Sourcing Policy on Forest Products in 2017. This policy helps push Target toward its long-term goal that all wood, paper, paper-based packaging and wood-based fiber used in the owned brand products the company purchases and sells is sourced from well-managed forests that have been credibly certified and/or are from post-consumer recycled materials.
Timber is expected to not be harvested in violation of traditional or civil rights, per credible certifying organizations. Target has started with products containing wood or paper-based materials, like tissues and paper towels, wrapping paper, furniture and wood-based fibers used in textiles, such as rayon, and it is now working on sourcing packaging from sustainably managed forests.
Several of Target’s brands (up&up, Pillowfort, Cat & Jack) will be fully compliant with its forest products policy by 2020. Threshold and Smith & Hawken will be fully compliant by 2022.
In addition to responding to growing customer concerns about the planet, Target wants to be sure employees are satisfied. Companies are being driven internally by a growing number of employees who see sustainability as a core value. In the past, public commitments were made to address public concerns. Now it’s just as much about signaling to the employee base that they work for a purpose-driven company that aligns with their values.
Please see Target’s website for information on their many environmental initiatives, including the company’s climate goals, responsible sourcing policies, water management, and much more.
Thank you for taking a moment to read about how Target is protecting the forests of the world. We hope you will use this information to make more informed choices about your next furniture purchase. .