Starbucks has shared the next steps it’s taking to advance racial and social equity as part of its ongoing journey to create “a welcoming and inclusive Third Place”.
In a letter to Starbucks’ employees, CEO Kevin Johnson outlined new commitments the company will make to elevate inclusion, diversity, and equity on their behalf and the communities it serves. The company says these commitments are rooted in intentionality, transparency, and accountability.
“As we discuss inclusion, diversity, and equity, we discover time and again that these topics are foundational to our Starbucks mission and values,” Johnson says.
“Of course, they are. The very concept of the Third Place embodies inclusion – creating a place of warmth and belonging, where everyone is welcome.”
The full list of those commitments is available here with key highlights including:
- Launching a mentorship program connecting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) employees to senior leaders and investing in strategic partnerships with professional organisations that focus on the development of BIPOC talent.
- Disclosing data reflecting the diversity of its current workforce.
- Setting and tracking annual inclusion and diversity goals of achieving BIPOC representation of at least 30 per cent at all corporate levels and at least 40 per cent of all retail and manufacturing roles by 2025.
- Connecting the building of inclusive and diverse teams to its executive compensation program.
- Establishing an Inclusion and Diversity Executive Council to provide internal governance to integrate inclusion and diversity throughout the organisation.
In addition, the company announced the rollout of US$1.5 million in Neighborhood Grants from The Starbucks Foundation prioritising grassroots and community-based non-profit organisations focused on local impact.
These grants aim to uplift organisations led by and that serve Black communities and will support more than 400 local non-profit organisations across the country. The Foundation will also invest US$5 million to launch a two-year initiative focused on supporting non-profits that serve BIPOC youth.
