Target shareholders reject independent chair, pesticide and microfiber proposals

Target shareholders sent management a split message at the company’s 2026 annual meeting: they backed the board slate, say-on-pay and the amended 2020 long-term incentive plan, but rejected three proposals aimed at changing how Target is governed and how its private-label products are scrutinized. The final tabulation showed 392,543,988 shares voted, about 86.4 percent of outstanding shares, with the results certified by The Carideo Group.

The sharpest governance pressure came on the call for an independent board chair. That proposal drew 38.1 percent support, up from 29 percent in 2024, but not enough to pass. The result leaves Brian C. Cornell in the executive chair role while Michael J. Fiddelke serves as CEO, a structure Target has defended even as it continues a leadership transition. In its proxy materials, the company also said it welcomed Stephen Bratspies and John Hoke III as new independent directors.

The product-safety and sustainability proposals went down by wider margins, but they still point to the pressure building around Target’s owned brands. A proposal asking for a report on pesticides in Target private-label brands received 16.9 percent support, while a separate proposal seeking a report on reducing microfiber shedding from products received 18.4 percent. For Target’s store and brand teams, those votes were about more than boardroom mechanics: they reflected growing scrutiny of the products guests see on shelves under Target names.

Friends of the Earth, which supported the pesticide push, said more than 40 environmental and public health organizations have pressed Target since 2024 to address pesticide use in its supply chain. The group also pointed to testing it said found 29 pesticides in two Good & Gather baby food products, Apple Fruit Purée and Pear Fruit Purée. The issue lands close to the sales floor, where team members field questions about ingredients, sourcing and whether store brands meet the standards Target markets to families.

The microfiber proposal carried a different kind of warning. As You Sow said textiles are the third-largest market for plastic, synthetic fibers make up 63 percent of global fiber production, and roughly 500,000 tons of plastic microfibers enter the ocean each year. The group argued for filtration, material changes and better testing. National Legal and Policy Center opposed the measure, calling it scientifically unjustified.

Taken together, the vote suggested Target can still count on broad shareholder support for its leadership and compensation plan, but not for avoiding deeper questions about product transparency and environmental impact. For workers who sell, stock and explain the company’s house brands, that keeps product trust squarely inside the job.