Starbucks Corporation CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ...

Focusing on Healthcare and WellnessStarbucks remains committed to providing healthcarebenefits to eligible full- and part-time partners, despite rapidlyrising costs. Starbucks U.S. and Canada healthcare plans areself-insured, which means healthcare providers are paid withStarbucks funds, as well as the money our partners personallycontribute toward their coverage. In fiscal 2006, we didnot increase healthcare premiums to partners. Starbucks isworking in a variety of ways to ensure the continuation of ourhealth coverage plan, and assist our partners in their efforts toreach and maintain their optimal health.Outreach to Newly Covered PartnersIn fiscal 2006, Starbucks began testing a novel outreacheffort to newly enrolled partners. Partners receive a welcomecall from our health plan administrator who can answerquestions about their health coverage – from how to selecta physician to how to find weekend or after-hours care. Thisapproach is being tested in 10 locations in the U.S. We hopeto find that through a simple welcome call we can improvepartners’ health, and encourage efficiencies in the use ofhealthcare resources.Thrive Wellness InitiativeStarbucks commitment to the health and wellness of ourpartners – and our customers – is evident in many of ourprograms and policies. One very direct effort to care forour partners’ health is the Thrive Wellness Initiative, whichcombines education, communication and participation tohelp our partners live healthy lives. Over 15,000 partners haveregistered on the Thrive website since its inception. Below aresome of the components of the program.• A web-based health risk assessment that creates a personal“health map” for each partner.• Online programs for fitness, smoking cessation andimprovement of eating habits.• Health club discounts at contracted fitness facilities.• Partner Connection subsidies for up to 50 percent offees for clubs or sports teams that include three or moreactive partners.• Anti-slip work shoes at a discounted price online to helpreduce the risk of slip and fall injuries.Kinetix, the newest benefit in the Thrive Wellness Initiative,was piloted in fiscal 2006 and launched in October 2006at no cost to partners in our support offices in Seattle,Washington, the location of Starbucks global headquarters.Kinetix is a comprehensive wellness program that teachesproper nutrition and exercise through an interactive website,classes and workshops, an eight-week session with a personaltrainer and phone and e-mail support to keep partners ontrack to reach their personal fitness goals.Advocating for Healthcare ReformRising healthcare costs and other challenges of providinghealthcare benefits have led Starbucks to advocate for a moreaffordable and efficient U.S. healthcare system. For the pastseveral years, we have focused our efforts on building publicawareness about the seriousness of escalating healthcare costs,and seeking reform of the healthcare system generally.In fiscal 2006, we worked to become more strategic inour efforts. First, we analyzed the greatest challenges thatStarbucks faces in delivering affordable, accessible healthcare.We then identified the following areas where we will focusefforts: access, technology, innovation, quality and lifetimesolutions. In fiscal 2007, we will highlight specific initiativesin these key areas. Through our efforts, we hope to alleviatehealthcare challenges for Starbucks and our partners, andall other U.S. companies and employees whose healthcarebenefits are threatened.My Starbucks –Sean Couture, a Starbucks storemanager in Williston, Vermont, sawgolf as a great team-building activityfor fellow partners and managersin his region, but wondered whetherthe expensive golf fees could be putto better use. When Sean learnedabout Starbucks Partner Connectionprogram, he found a way to combinehis passion for golf with his desire tobring together a group of partnersfor camaraderie and a good cause.Sean formed a Starbucks PartnerConnection Golf Team and put out acall to the three stores in his region,asking partners if they’d like to join. Fortheir first outing, the team participatedin a Muscular Dystrophy CornerstoneCup Tournament that raised a total of$12,000 for the Muscular DystrophyAssociation (MDA). In addition tocontributing half of the team’s entryfees, Starbucks also donated cups andcoffee to the event. The team has teedup for other good causes including thelocal Chamber of Commerce and Chill, anintervention program for disadvantagedkids. According to Sean, “Once you get ateam set up, it’s easy. It’s a great wayfor partners to get to know each otherbetter, get closer, feel more like a teamand also contribute to a great cause.”W O R K P L A C E68