Target: Pro Bono Leader
Pro Bono Culture
At Target, giving to the community is part of their broader commitment to corporate responsibility and engrained in their corporate DNA. Since 1946, Target has given 5% of their income and millions of volunteer hours to the communities they serve. Today, 5% equals more than $3 million every week to support education, the arts, social services and volunteerism. In addition to fiscal support, Target’s community support includes the time and talent of their team members. The value proposition is clear: giving drives change in the communities they do business, enhances their reputation and brand, helps to recruit and retain top talent, aligns with their corporate giving and inspires others to get involved as well.
- Target’s education programs reach children of all ages, with a focus on early childhood reading and support for teachers and classrooms.
- Target makes the arts affordable and accessible for families by offering free days at museums and theaters nationwide.
- Target believes that strong communities begin with strong families and safe homes. That’s why Target is committed to funding programs that work to strengthen families and promote the happiness and well-being of every child.
- Donating the time and talent of Target team members through direct service and pro bono commitment results in millions of hours volunteered to community projects.
Pro Bono History
Just one piece of their total giving, pro bono service provides an avenue for Target to demonstrate leadership in innovative philanthropy: support that goes beyond writing a check but also consistent with their heritage of giving:
- In 1917, Target’s founding company (The Dayton Company) partnered with the American Red Cross to hold fundraising drives in our stores.
- In 1920, Target’s founder, George Draper Dayton, used airplanes in a brand new way during a freight handlers strike in New York by sending two planes from Minneapolis to pick up goods. It was the first time airplanes had ever been used to haul commercial freight in America. Dayton later received a letter from the U.S. Post Office stating they were interested in the outcome of our “experiment,” and hoped government planes would soon be available for a similar purpose.
Today, Target’s pro bono program is equally as innovative and beneficial, ranging from providing support to law enforcement agencies through their Forensic Services team’s expertise in forensic investigation to lending their world-class design and construction capabilities to community partners to transform libraries in schools across America.
Pro Bono Strategy
Pro Bono has been happening wide-spread at Target on an organic level since the early 1900s. These projects have been created and evolved due to community need and team member availability on the talent and time front. Currently, Target is focusing its efforts on formalizing its program in terms of framework, (all-company as well as specific to departments) tools and best practices.
Leadership development is Target’s key consideration in its formalized strategy, believing that 80% of development happens on the job. With that in mind, Target focuses not just on providing professional assistance but also helping their nonprofit partners build sustainable expertise ultimately enhancing their capacity. By doing so, Target has an impact that resonates long after the engagement ends, one of the lasting benefits of pro bono service.
Most importantly, Target wants to deliver the “Target brand experience”; in the case of pro bono work, their “Expect More. Pay Less.” brand promise couldn’t be more apropos.
Pro Bono Vision for the Future
Over the next few years, Target will expand the collection of its pro bono service offerings, exploring opportunities to leverage the skills of a wide range of team members from various departments and functional areas. Through a comprehensive assessment of community needs, team member skills and pro bono service delivery best practices, Target is building a strong, integrated foundation for the growth of this initiative.
Pro Bono in Action
- The FBI requested the expertise of Target’s Forensic Services team to help in the investigation of the disappearance and murder of Dru Sjodin, a University of North Dakota college student. Target’s state-of-the-art forensic technology provided video evidence that helped convict the suspect in Sjodin’s death. Click here for more information.
- Target’s technology, property development, commercial interiors and community relations teams helped the National Domestic Violence Hotline renovate its outdated call center; enhancing its telecommunications technology to accommodate deaf and hearing-impaired callers and renovating its call stations to provide advocates with confidential and functional work stations while handling more calls. Click here for more information.
To learn more about the impact Target is making, visit Target’s website.