Subject: [big campaign] Corporate Accountability Best Practice: Target Amends Giving Policy
From: Aniello Alioto <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:39:08 -0500
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

Friends -

While we are fighting fierce battles on numerous fronts this week, I wanted
to highlight a breaking success story.

This is a FANTASTIC example of how corporate accountability works! Many
organizations worked different, complimentary angles - each of those groups
should take pride in this breaking story! ... Our affiliate in MN (home of
Target's HQ), Alliance for a Better Minnesota - aka ABM, focused our efforts
on Target employees (7K in MN, 63K nationally); providing them an avenue to
both internally & externally voice their opposition to a reprehensible $150K
political donation.

ABM immediately spent a sizable amount of money on this that got GREAT
traction both in the press and on the streets of MN, home of Target HQ...
WELL worth the money!

Please contact me offlist if you'd like more specific information or contact
ABM ExecDir. Denise Cardinal directly at [email-masked]

http://www.advocate.com/Business/Target_Amends_Giving_Policy/

Posted on Advocate.com February 17, 2011
Target Amends Giving Policy
The big-box retailer has changed its political contribution policy in the
wake of last year's uproar over its donation to a group supporting an
antigay candidate.
By Advocate.com
Editors<http://www.advocate.com/authors.aspx?searchterm=Advocate.com%20Editors>

Target Corp., which angered gays last year with a donation to a political
group supporting an antigay Minnesota gubernatorial candidate, has amended
its policy for political contributions.

Among the changes, reports the *Washington
Blade,<http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/02/17/target-enacts-new-political-giving-policies/>
* is the establishment of a committee of senior executives to oversee
donations to candidates, parties, and political action committees. “The
policy committee and our CEO are responsible for balancing our business
interests with any other considerations that may be important to our team
members, our guests or other stakeholders,” Target spokeswoman Jessica
Carlson told the*Blade.*

Minneapolis-based Target, a retailer known for trendy but inexpensive
merchandise, drew protests and boycott threats last year after it was
revealed it had donated $150,000 to MN Forward, which in turn took out ads
supporting Republican gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer, an opponent of
marriage equality and other LGBT causes. He narrowly lost the November
election to gay-friendly Democrat Mark Dayton.

Carlson told the *Blade* the experience led Target to “evolve” its giving
policy. “These changes are really reflective of that perspective that we
gained over the 2010 election cycle,” she said.

She declined to say if Target had consulted with outside groups on the
matter, but an anonymous source told the *Blade* some LGBT rights advocates
were involved. Carlson also emphasized that the retailer has donated to gay
groups and events, such as Minnesota’s Project 515 and Twin Cities Pride,
and that it plans to offer support to pride events in Chicago and San
Francisco.

The political contribution policy is posted on Target’s
website.<http://hereforgood.target.com/civic-activity/>

-- 
Aniello Alioto
National Political Director
[email-masked]
502.664.2420

AZ: Arizona Progress
CA: Courage Campaign
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WI: One Wisconsin Now (OWN)

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