Running head: STARBUCKS FIELD EXPERIENCE
Starbucks Field Experience
Sha Carson
University of Central Oklahoma
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Starbucks Coffee Company is a leading steward of environmental and social
responsibility among Fortune 500 companies. They continually set and strive for high ethical
standards in the production of their goods as well as in regards to employee conduct. Starbucks
sets challenging goals for the company each year and continually rises to the test of meeting and
even surpassing their goals. Starbucks role as a leader in environmental and corporate social
responsibility begins with their company’s mission and corporate culture and reaches out to
influence communities and environments spanning the globe.
Starbucks not only lives based upon principles stated in their corporate mission
statement, but in 1992 they created an environmental mission statement that addresses their
commitment to social responsibility. This mission statement can be found in Starbucks’
standards of business conduct (2011) and reads, “Starbucks is committed to a role of
environmental leadership in all facets of our business. We fulfill this mission by a commitment
to: understanding environmental issues and sharing information with our partners, developing
innovative and flexible solutions to bring about change, striving to buy, sell and use
environmentally friendly products… instilling environmental responsibility as a corporate
value… [and] encouraging all partners to share in our mission” (“Business ethics and
compliance: Standards of business conduct”, 2011). The company’s environmental commitment
is of the upmost importance to the organization and its leadership. They are focused on
positively impacting our world through environmental stewardship and instilling these values
throughout all levels of their company.
One way that the organization measures its social contributions and environmental
footprint is through the development of global responsibility goals set by Starbucks’ leadership.
These goals and the company’s progress can be viewed at the end of each year in their global
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responsibility report (2011). The report from 2011 shows 12 goals set by Starbucks Coffee
Company and their current progress in relation to each goal. Of the goals outlined in this report,
10 are currently on track, one goal has been achieved and one goal was modified and is currently
on track to be reached by 2015. The global responsibility report is an ideal way for businesses to
track their progress in terms of environmental concern. It summarizes company goals and
outlines growth and areas where the company has made headway. It is also a great tool for
demonstrating areas where the organization is falling behind and could use additional focus or
company resources (“Starbucks global responsibility report”, 2011).
Since its inception in 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has valued environmental
stewardship and community involvement. It is this passion to positively impact the community
in which they practice business that propels them to invest in constructive and innovative
programs that influence the world around them. According to their global responsibility report
(2011), some of the initiatives that Starbucks is passionate about improving are ensuring 100
percent of their coffee is ethically sourced by 2015 (86 percent was ethically sourced in 2011),
mobilizing partners and customers to volunteer one million hours of community service each
year (442,353 hours served in 2011), implement front-of-store recycling program in companyowned stores by 2015 (18 percent success rate in 2011) and reduce water consumption by 25
percent in company-owned stores by 2015 (down 17.6 percent in 2011) (“Starbucks global
responsibility report”, 2011). These statistics only begin to display the impact that Starbucks’
emphasis on social responsibility and environmental leadership will deliver. Developing and
achieving goals aimed toward decreasing their carbon footprint and serving their community will
undoubtedly create a positive change in our world.
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Through observing and studying Starbucks Coffee Company’s standards of business
conduct and global responsibility report it is clear that this is a company committed to
environmental leadership and corporate responsibility. They have clear goals that have been set
to reduce their carbon footprint, promote community involvement and encourage ethical and
social change in relation to human rights issues. Starbucks continues to value and work toward
implementing the high standards set in their environmental mission statement created 20 years
ago. This company is setting the pace for other worldwide organizations in relation to corporate
social responsibility and their efforts should be mirrored by others around the globe.
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Reference
Starbucks Coffee Company (2011). Business ethics and compliance: Standards of business
conduct. Retrieved from
http://assets.starbucks.com/assets/eecd184d6d2141d58966319744393d1f.pdf
Starbucks Coffee Company (2011). Starbucks global responsibility report. Retrieved from
http://assets.starbucks.com/assets/c007fb25782442ac8283b154364c1016.pdf