Corporate Governance

Webinar on how Saks’ million-dollar energy savings started with data
New York -- Learn how Saks Fifth Avenue used data as the foundation for its energy efficiency initiatives at a Webinar on Thursday, September 24, 2015, at 2 p.m. (EST).

Gary Levitan, senior manager of energy and utilities for Hudson’s Bay Company, parent of Saks Fifth Avenue, will explain how Saks used data — and how it efficiently identified and leveraged the right data — to make the business case for an efficiency initiative that drove the following benefits:
Target is looking for a few good startups
Target Corp. has operated an innovation lab in San Francisco since 2013, but now the retailer is eyeing a more accelerated and outward-focused approach to innovation.

NRF: Customers not buying EMV technology

While the financial industry is supporting the use of chip-and-signature cards to meet the upcoming Oct. 1 EMV mandate, consumers are less convinced.
Target faces class-action over breach

It’s official – Target Corp. will face a class action lawsuit related to its November 2013 data breach.
Target workers form first union in company's history

A group of pharmacy workers within Target Corp's store in Brooklyn, N.Y., have won a vote to form a microunion, making it the first unionized store at the retailer since its inception in 1902, according to Reuters.

Reuters was first to report on Wednesday that a group of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians won an initial ballot, 7-2, to form the union, according to a filing on the National Labor Relations Board website and union officials.
Former Famous Footwear exec named CMO at Crocs Inc.

Crocs Inc. has promoted one of its marketing directors to be the company's next CMO.

The company announced that Terence Reilly was promoted to senior vice president and chief marketing officer. In this new role, Reilly will continue to lead the Global Marketing team in Niwot, Colo., providing strategic direction and support to the company's regional and country marketing teams across the globe. Reilly will continue to oversee all aspects of Crocs' marketing, including the company's brand, advertising, consumer and social media campaigns.
Shoes.com sprints toward faster delivery

Vancouver-based specialty online footwear retailer Shoes.com is sprinting toward new levels of fast delivery.

Shoes.com is offering home and office delivery in two hours or less on select items on its Canadian website.

The service costs $19.95 per order and launches Thursday, Sept. 17 in Vancouver and Toronto and surrounding municipalities, with plans to expand to Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and Ottawa by the end of 2015.

Shoes.com will use a network of local fulfillment centers that have access to the retailer’s technology, operations and marketing.
Ascena weighed down by writedowns in Q4

Justice continues to be a drain for the Ascena Retail Group, but in the fourth quarter Lane Bryant also proved to be a burden, as the company reported a drop in same-store sales.

The operator of Justice, as well as stores under the Lane Bryant, Cacique, Maurices, Dressbarn, and Catherines brands, said combined same-store sales declined 2% during its fourth quarter of fiscal 2015 ended July 25.
Target looking for a few good tech start-ups

Target Corp. has operated an innovation lab in San Francisco since 2013, but now the retailer is eyeing a more accelerated and outward-focused approach to innovation.

In collaboration with Boulder, Colorado-based startup accelerator Techstars, Target is creating a new retail accelerator program that will launch next year in Minneapolis.
Target employee fitness takes high-tech turn

Target Corp. is going high-tech with efforts to improve employee fitness. All 335,000 U.S. employees of Target will be offered free or subsidized wearable digital activity trackers from Fitbit Inc.

As part of the program, management will have a dashboard that can track individual employees by activities such as how many steps they take in a day. The basic FitBit Zip device will be provided free, or Target will help employees pay for a costlier FitBit wristband device.
The Container Store contest challenges students to get creative

The Container Store is teaming up with the Rhode Island School of Design on a contest that invites design students to re-think the organized home.

The goal is to give design students a platform to present their product ideas to The Container Store and the chance to see their ideas produced. The product submissions need to appeal to The Container Store’s consumer.
NRF: Chip-and-signature not cutting it with customers

While the financial industry is supporting the use of chip-and-signature cards to meet the upcoming Oct. 1 EMV mandate, consumers are less convinced.

According to a new survey released by the National Retail Federation (NRF), 62% of U.S. consumers believe new credit cards being issued by banks don’t go far enough to protect card data or prevent fraud.