Starbucks Corporation CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ...

Fostering Diversity andInclusionAt Starbucks, we “embrace diversity as anessential component in the way we do business.”This is a Guiding Principle of the company andone of our core values.As we expand throughout the world, Starbucksis recruiting and operating within a broad rangeof multicultural, multilingual, and multiracialenvironments. Not only must Starbucks activelyprepare to embrace and navigate diversity acrossthe globe, we must tailor our efforts to eachunique area of the world.Our continued success compels us to create a business that, atall levels, reflects the communities in which we operate, thecustomers and marketplaces we serve, and the shareholderswho invest in our company. Featured in this section are ourcompanywide efforts to embrace diversity, which includethe following:• Diversity and inclusion in the workplace• Supplier diversity• Urban Coffee Opportunities: Bringing the StarbucksExperience to diverse communitiesStarbucks Makes DiversityIncTop 50 ListStarbucks was recognized as one of the Top 50 Companiesfor Diversity in 2006 by DiversityInc magazine, whichreports and analyzes diversity issues and their impact onbusiness in the U.S. Starbucks also ranked in the Top 10Companies for DiversityInc’s Latinos sub list. The applicationprocess for the Top 50 list entails an in-depth analysis of acompany’s diversity management, leadership and marketing.Corporate Equalit y IndexIn 2006, Starbucks achieved a score of 85 out of 100 onThe Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s CorporateEquality Index (CEI), a nationally recognized measure ofgay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) workplaceequality. This index is the principal method of evaluatingdiversity efforts toward GLBT employees and consumers.Scores are based on a voluntary survey of company policiesas well as independent research by HRC.To achieve a higher score, Starbucks must first have awritten nondiscrimination policy covering gender identityand expression. We are currently working on updating ournondiscrimination policy and hope to achieve a higher HRCscore in the future.Diversity and Inclusion in theWorkplaceAt Starbucks, our diverse workforce includes men andwomen of various ages, races, national origin, religiousaffiliations, sexual orientation, physical and mental attributes,and differing levels of education, skills and experiences.Our partners also come with their own ideas, opinions andcommunication styles. We respect the differences our partnersbring to the workplace. We view their differences as assetsthat can help us to be more creative and innovative in ourapproach and products, more competitive globally and moreattractive as an inclusive employer wherever we do business,We implemented the following initiatives and programs infiscal 2006 in an effort to reach our diversity and inclusionworkplace goals and objectives.• A “Diversity and Inclusion Scorecard” was createdfor our ceo and his direct reports, which includes keymetrics for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Thescorecard establishes benchmarks related to workforcerepresentation, diversity leadership competencies,workplace environment, supplier diversity and customerexperience.• Partner Network Groups were initiated to bring partnerstogether voluntarily to partner with the business in anadvisory capacity. Additionally, these groups providepersonal and professional networking opportunities,address issues of concern and opportunity, and providemutual advocacy to help the company achieve our diversityand inclusion goals. The program was piloted with threegroups: The Pride Alliance Network: (lesbian, gay, bisexual,transgender), Partners with Disabilities Network,and Emerging Workforce, a group of partners that isworking to develop flexible workplace solutions in order toachieve both their business and personal goals. The PartnerNetwork Groups are currently available to partners at theStarbucks Support Center (SSC), the company’s globalheadquarters in Seattle.• Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Teams were organizedto identify strengths, gaps and opportunities withinspecific business units and regions as well as to createstructures to foster sustainable, robust diversity andinclusion strategies throughout the company. Teammembers are partners from all levels of the companybringing cross-functional expertise in efforts to driveownership of the diversity and inclusion strategy withinStarbucks. In fiscal 2006, two regional teams werelaunched in the U.S. and seven were launched withinspecific business units or functions at the SSC.D I V E R S I T Y72