Gail Boudreaux:
Stop selling eggs from caged hens at Target!
Who is Gail Boudreaux?
Gail is a career executive with decades of experience in the health care industry. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Elevance Health, formerly Anthem. She is a member with The Chicago Network and serves on the boards of America’s Health Insurance Plans, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, and The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation. Most importantly, in 2021, she joined the Board of Directors at Target.
Gail’s time with Target makes clear she is lacking one key area:
corporate responsibility.
What’s the problem?
Under Gail’s leadership, Target is neglecting concerns of animal cruelty. The company is falling behind the food industry by continuing to sell eggs from caged hens. According to its last report, Target still sources 40% of its eggs from controversial battery cage farms where chickens are confined in cages so small that they can barely move. This practice is so unsafe and inhumane that it is illegal in many U.S. states and the entire European Union. When confronted with concerns about this problem, Target has remained silent.
By comparison, U.S. fast food chains such as McDonald’s and Taco Bell have eliminated battery cage eggs from their menus, and retail giant Costco is nearly 100 percent cage-free. Even dollar stores are installing signs on their egg shelves to educate customers and help shift the market toward cage-free eggs.
Target has historically enjoyed a positive reputation for its commitments to sustainability, social responsibility, and transparency. However, the company has a concerning track record of weakening or backtracking on animal welfare policies. Can customers trust Target to do the right thing?