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United Parcel Service (UPS) began the year with nearly half a million employees but has since cut about 48,000 jobs in a major cost-cutting push to boost profits, remain competitive, and regain investor confidence. In its third-quarter earnings report released Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, the Atlanta -based logistics giant said it had reduced its operational workforce by roughly 34,000 positions through its Network Reconfiguration and Efficiency Reimagined program. The company eliminated another 14,000 roles, primarily in management, under its Fit to Serve initiative, which began last year to “right-size” operations and build a more efficient, market-responsive business model. “I want to extend my gratitude to all UPSers for their dedication and steadfast commitment to serving our customers,” CEO Carol Tomé said in a statement. “We are executing the most significant strategic shift in our company’s history, and the changes we are implementing are designed to deliver long-term value for...
In a move marking the first major round of Target layoffs in over a decade, incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke announced that the company will cut 1,800 corporate jobs for an 8% reduction in its corporate workforce. According to CNBC, Fiddelke shared the news in a memo to employees at Target’s Minneapolis headquarters on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. He said the retailer is focused on regaining growth after four years of roughly stagnant sales. “This spring, we launched our enterprise acceleration efforts with a clear ambition: to move faster and simplify how we work to drive Target’s next chapter of growth,” Fiddelke wrote. “The truth is, the complexity we’ve created over time has been holding us back. Too many layers and overlapping work have slowed decisions, making it harder to bring ideas to life,” he continued. A Target spokesperson reportedly told CNBC that the eliminated roles include about 1,000 employee layoffs and roughly 800 positions that will not be refilled. Affected employees...
Since 2020, Target has partnered with the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) to support small business founders with the access, education, and connections needed to grow and thrive, Target shared in a news release on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. Through this collaboration, Target has helped bring innovative products to market, elevate emerging brands, and equip entrepreneurs with the tools to succeed in the competitive mass retail space. RICE’s Retail Readiness Academy (RRA), a seven-month program that provides tailored strategies, insights, and retail connections to accelerate the growth of established Black-owned brands, is a key part of this effort. In 2024, Target doubled the size of the RRA cohort and deepened its involvement with RICE through executive mentorship and behind-the-scenes store visits to inspire entrepreneurs. A long-time supporter of historically Black college and university (HBCU) students and alumni, Target also launched “HBCU, Always,” — a...
Target CEO Brian Cornell is stepping down from his post. According to AP News, Cornell took on the role of CEO in August 2014. He was tasked with remodeling stores and positioning its online business to rival Amazon , per CNN . Eight years later, the board extended his contract and removed a policy requiring chief executives to retire at 65 years old. On Aug. 20, 2025, it was announced that Cornell, 66, will step down as CEO. Michael Fiddelke — who has been with the company for two decades, started as an intern and became COO — has been appointed to the role of CEO. He was selected from a “strong list of external and internal candidates” and was the “right candidate to lead our business back to growth,” analysts confirmed with CNN. Cornell will serve as Target’s executive chairman, and Fiddelke will officially lead as CEO starting Feb. 1, 2026, Yahoo Finance reports. “I’ve had this conversation with the board for a number of years, and I’ve been in the role for 11 years. I’m going...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. For many founders in the beauty and lifestyle space, the measure of success isn’t just in sales but also in the value of an exit. Recently, Hailey Bieber’s beauty brand, Rhode, was acquired by e.l.f . for $1 billion. Founded in 2022, the beauty brand has reached its valuation quickly thanks to Bieber’s name recognition and viral social media campaigns. But while Bieber has been praised for selling her company, the majority of Black founders are accused of being sellouts by Black customers when they do. Over the past several years, Black-owned brands like The Honey Pot Company, Mielle Organics , and Briogeo Hair Care have been acquired by large conglomerates. For every acquisition, a large portion of their Black customers have complained or claimed that they would no longer buy from the brand because they view the acquisition as a form of selling out. Black founders are held to a different standard...
If you’ve been plugged-in to the political side of the business world lately, you may have noticed a fundamental shift in how corporate culture is responding to DEI measures . DEI, which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion, has been the industry standard blanket term for the last several years regarding certain hiring practices, employee training routines and more. Major companies such as Target, Costco and Apple have utilized specific language upholding DEI in their company guidelines at one point or another, amid a national push to support BIPOC employees , those with disabilities and members of all other marginalized communities. Of course, when Donald Trump regained control of the White House in January, he issued a day-one decree that all companies must remove DEI protections from their charters, sparking a wave of discussion about government overreach and the future of diversity in the workplace. Some, such as Target, Walmart and Harley Davidson, were quick to discard...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. DEI has become a conservative buzzword to target anything that doesn’t appeal to straight, white, male ideals. The Trump administration has gone after every federal agency, academic institution, and corporate entity to eradicate any semblance of DEI. Whether through affirmative action, hiring laws, or ensuring equal representation of all races and genders, Trump has made DEI the hill to die on. Everything is DEI, from Kendrick’s Super Bowl halftime show to plane crashes. However, diversity has not been effectively implemented recently, nor applied in the appropriate context. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are designed to create a more balanced and fair society, particularly in the wake of the civil rights movement, by addressing systemic inequalities and ensuring equal opportunities for all. But now, conservatives have equated DEI policies with lower standards, a false narrative that President...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion has been in the spotlight since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, in 2020, which millions of people witnessed via social media. That reminded me of how the civil rights movement didn’t spark real change until people saw the violence against protestors broadcast directly into their homes. Similarly, in 2020, many witnessed injustice unfold in real time on their phones. We can draw parallels between the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the events of the past five years. Just as some supported integration while others opposed it, there are divided views on DEI today. Gallup Inc. helps track public opinion on these issues over time. George Gallup founded the American Institute of Public Opinion, the precursor to Gallup. In 1935, they conducted their first political public opinion poll and have remained independent, never conducting surveys on behalf of...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Just two weeks into his presidency, the Trump administration has already decreed several executive orders to undo much of former President Joe Biden’s work in the past four years. As many predicted, President Donald Trump has come after DEI initiatives , signing an executive order to remove all DEI programs within the Federal government. Corporations like JP Morgan Chase & Co, Costco , and Goldman Sachs have all stated that they plan to retain their corporate DEI programs and continue with business as usual. However, other big retailers like Walmart , Meta, McDonald’s, and Target have rolled back their previous DEI promises in accordance with the Trump administration. In recent years, corporate DEI initiatives have faced increasing attacks, with right-wing critics arguing that efforts to promote diversity are discriminatory against white people. Many corporations began implementing diversity,...
Target is putting its money where its mouth is. In 2021, the retail giant announced a commitment to advance racial equity, including increased investments with Black-owned businesses by more than 50 percent. In addition to this commitment, the popular Minnesota-based retailer is enhancing its Target Scholars Program with updated extensions and additional resources.
