Corporate Governance

Target rolls out 8 new sustainability goals
Amid a slew of news from Target HQ on Monday, the retailer also announced that, as part of the White House’s Climate Pledge, it would be working toward eight new sustainability commitments. The company has had success so far when it comes to sustainability, reducing its greenhouse gas emissions 9% since 2012 and eliminating more than half a million metric tons of carbon dioxide from its buildings.

The commitments are for the company to achieve the following benchmarks by 2020:
Restoration Hardware gives shoppers a view of the Rockies
RH (Restoration Hardware Holdings) has unveiled the latest iteration of the brand’s next-generation design galleries concept at Cherry Creek Shopping Center, in Denver.

RCS Real Estate raises close to $2,000,000 for bankrupt Anna's Linens at auction

RCS Real Estate Advisors announced today that it secured almost $2,000,000 at auction for home goods chain Anna's Linens, which filed for Chapter 11 on June 14.
The Fresh Market explores bid for company

Just a few weeks after installing a new CEO, the Fresh Market is planning to conduct a strategic review that may include a sale of the specialty grocery chain.

The company says it has retained J.P. Morgan Securities as its financial advisor to assist in this process, which may result in the company continuing to pursue value-enhancing initiatives as a standalone company, capital structure optimization, or a sale of the company or other business combination.
Report: Co-founder of Warby Parker has a new venture capital fund

Andrew Hunt, the co-founder of the hot eyewear retailer Warby Parker, has raised $138.3 million for a new venture capital firm, reports Boston Business Journal. The Boston-based firm is called Elephant Partners and is reportedly focused on consumer Internet, mobile and software. (Boston Business Journal)
Another merger in design field

Two of the nation’s leading planning and design firms have officially joined forces.

Callison and RTKL have come together as CallisonRTKL. Both companies were previously acquired by the Netherlands-based Arcadis, a leading global design and consultancy.
Lush on the Move: Cosmetics firm to relocate stores in U.S., Canada, to bigger spaces

From its artisan-looking shops and grocery-styled product displays to its ethical sourcing and activist ethos, Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics has always marched to the beat of a different drummer.
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Report: Target continues internal IT focus

Target Corp. is making a number of aggressive moves to become more self-reliant when it comes to IT development.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the latest move is the adoption of the DevOps software development strategy. DevOps emphasizes increased cooperation among software engineers and product deployment employees, and also focuses on agile development and testing methods.
Amazon.com is increasing its holiday workforce by 25%

Amazon.com is increasing the number of workers it is hiring for the holidays this year to meet an increase in customer demand, revealing a possible shift in the way consumers shop.

The retailer says it plans to hire more than 100,000 seasonal employees this year. It hired 80,000 seasonal employees in 2014.
Tommy Hilfiger embraces in-store virtual reality

Retailers who still think virtual reality is just for hard-core gamers should think again.

In another example of how physical retailers are employing state-of-the-art technology to remain engaging — and relevant — in a digital age, specialty apparel powerhouse Tommy Hilfiger on Tuesday became the first major retailer to employ virtual reality in its stores. The technology offers shoppers who otherwise might never attend a runway show a chance to view close-up and personal the fall runway show of the Hilfiger Collection.
Havertys sees what’s coming

When you know what’s coming your way, it’s much easier to make successful plans.

For this reason, furniture retailer Havertys will deploy the GT Nexus collaborative supply chain management platform to improve supplier and inventory visibility. This, in turn, will allow Havertys to automate procurement processes, including purchase order management, three-way matching and invoice settlement.
What it Takes to Build a Modern Retail Organization

Most retailers recognize the importance of combining the best of digital technologies and physical stores to profitably create a seamless and consistent customer experience across channels. There’s a good reason for this. Their most valuable customers are engaging with them across all channels: store, mobile, social and online. Some retailers find that these omnichannel customers spend two times to five times more than customers who buy in only one channel.