A commitment based on responsible coffee purchasing practices, farmer support centers, loan programs and forest conservation efforts.
Published in Chapter:
The Starbucks Culture: Responsible, Radical Innovation in an Irresponsible, Incremental World
Joan Marques (Woodbury University, USA), Angelo A. Camillo (Woodbury University, USA), and Svetlana Holt (Woodbury University, USA)
Copyright: © 2015
|Pages: 11
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-7476-9.ch014
Abstract
Bombarded with reports of immoral corporate performances, many have become convinced that ethical companies are history. CEOs, facing narrow performance windows, often feel pressured to adopt a hit-and-run mentality, thereby contaminating their entire corporate culture. Yet, there are companies that continue to outperform their competitors and redefine their industries, while simultaneously following a strict moral compass. One such company is the Starbucks Corporation, entailing 18,000 stores worldwide, of which approximately 13,000 are in North America. Starbucks directly supervises 5,500 coffeehouses in 61 countries. After a successful expansion into China, Starbucks is now moving into India. Nonetheless, the coffee giant continues to make the list of the world's most ethical companies for good reasons. This case reviews Starbucks's internal and external culture, examining its partner treatment, environmental awareness, farmer support, stakeholder inclusion, and other revolutionary strategies, in hopes to have these elements serve as focus points for current and future leaders.