What is Three Pillars of Sustainability

This chapter investigates whether sustainability practices of one of the leaders of the coffee industry, Starbucks, have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic as compared to the period before the virus outbreak. In particular, the authors ask which dimensions, or sub-dimensions, of sustainability in particular have been cut off first. Secondary data in the form of industry and company reports, websites, as well as research articles has been used. The findings of this study are particularly important for practitioners and researchers interested in changes in the coffee market, corporate sustainability, and consumer behavior, particularly during a systemic crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The topic is very current, and high-quality interdisciplinary research on a continuously deepening crisis with an unknown expiration date promises value-added potential, much more than “filling a gap” in the literature.