Target, Inc.

Austin, Texas -- Target Corp., Costco Wholesale Corp., Safeway, Gap Inc. and Whole Foods Market are among 15 retailers recognized on the Ethisphere Institute's 2012 "World's Most Ethical Companies" list. The other retailers honored were Starbucks Coffee Co., Patagonia, Wegmans, Marks and Spencer, Best Buy, eBay, Timberland, Office Max, Petco, and Ten Thousand Villages.

New York -- During the 2011 holiday season, the top retail apps and websites combined — Amazon, Best Buy, eBay, Target and Walmart — reached nearly 60 % of smartphone owners, according to Nielsen.

“The majority of smartphone owners used their devices for shopping this past holiday season,” said John Burbank, president of strategic initiatives at Nielsen. “Mobile shopping has reached scale and is only going to grow as smartphone penetration continues to rise.”

Tide laundry detergent is so popular with shoppers that it is regularly featured on the cover of Target’s weekly circular as a means to generate customer traffic, but it appears the detergent brand’s popularity is causing it to generate the wrong kind of traffic. A story by the Associated Press points out this week that Tide has become a frequent target of shoplifters at retailers nationwide and the new currency of an underground economy.

NEW YORK — The Ethisphere Institute, which describes itself as a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability, has released its sixth annual selection of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. Among this year's list of 145 organizations are several top, U.S. retailers including Safeway, Wegmans, Whole Foods, Costco, Target, Best Buy, OfficeMax and Petco.

The 7% same-store sales increase Target reported in February was achieved with only a slight bump in promotional activity, according to the latest monthly data from research firm Market Track. Conversely, the number of ad pages that such competitors as Walmart and Kmart ran increased at twice the rate as Target, while Kohl’s and Macy’s declined. To view Market Track’s recap of February promotional activity at Target and other top retailers, click here.

The outside world doesn’t have a lot of visibility into the bench strength of Target’s leadership team beyond the top tier of executives so it’s hard to know whether the company has the talent it needs to fill the void created by high profile defections to rival JCPenney.

Nothing is ever as easy as it seems in the retail industry. Take Target’s decision to not sell denim jeans that have been distressed using the sand blasting method. That means the company or its suppliers now have to amend or implement some type of reporting infrastructure and audit protocol to ensure any distressed jeans Target sells achieved their weathered look through appropriate means. For an insightful look at the issues of eco-labels and the certification process that underpins the validity of such claims, check out this column from Deloitte Consulting executive Chris Park.

Plano, Texas -- As part of its strategic transformation program, J.C. Penney Co. said Monday that it has made several new hires and promotions at the executive level.

To lead merchandise strategy, Liz Sweney has been promoted to chief merchant and will lead the reinvention of the retailer’s apparel and home portfolio. Sweney most recently served as executive VP and senior general merchandise manager of women's apparel, accessories, footwear, jewelry and juniors divisions, as well as Sephora inside J.C. Penney.