Environmentally Friendly Starbucks
By Sue Mecklenburg
Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, Starbucks
Published February 10th 2005, The Daily Targum
Ruha Devanesan's column, "Big Bucks," (The Daily Targum, Feb. 1) misrepresents Starbucks Coffee's corporate social responsibility efforts. Perhaps Devanesan did not realize that Fair Trade Certified, certified organic and conservation (shade-grown) coffees, represent only a fraction of the coffees that Starbucks purchases in a socially responsible manner. We seek to apply the same principles to all purchases - paying premium prices for the highest quality coffee that result in a profit for farmers and workers and care for the social and environmental needs of the area.
In 2004, Starbucks purchased 12.6 million pounds of certified and conservation coffee, which is one component of Starbucks' larger integrated approach to building mutually beneficial relationships with coffee farmers and their communities. As an important part of this approach, Starbucks purchased 4.8 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified coffee in 2004, more than double the previous year. And our commitment for 2005 is to double our purchases again, to 10 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified coffee. These purchases will benefit tens of thousands of farmers in the Fair Trade system, which we believe will make Starbucks the largest purchaser of Fair Trade coffee in North America. That being said, it is important to note that the Fair Trade system includes only 3 percent of the world's coffee. Because of our size, Starbucks buys coffee from other small, medium and large-scale farmers who are not part of the Fair Trade system.
Starbucks also pays premium prices, provides coffee farmers access to affordable credit, invests in social projects in coffee communities and provides technical assistance and agricultural expertise through the Starbucks Farmer Support Center in Costa Rica.
In addition, Starbucks has developed a set of socially responsible buying practices in collaboration with Conservation International called Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices. These guidelines are designed to protect the environment, help ensure fair prices, wages and workers' rights and promote social development in coffee communities. By 2007, Starbucks expects to purchase majority of our coffee under CAFE Practices.
There's no question that more work needs to be done to bring stability and equity to coffee farmers. But Starbucks takes great pride in being a responsible leader in those efforts.
Those who would like more information on Starbucks efforts in this and related areas can review our 2004 Corporate Social Responsibility Annual Report at http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/csrannualreport.asp.
Sue Mecklenburg is the Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Starbucks Coffee Company.
Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, Starbucks
Published February 10th 2005, The Daily Targum
Ruha Devanesan's column, "Big Bucks," (The Daily Targum, Feb. 1) misrepresents Starbucks Coffee's corporate social responsibility efforts. Perhaps Devanesan did not realize that Fair Trade Certified, certified organic and conservation (shade-grown) coffees, represent only a fraction of the coffees that Starbucks purchases in a socially responsible manner. We seek to apply the same principles to all purchases - paying premium prices for the highest quality coffee that result in a profit for farmers and workers and care for the social and environmental needs of the area.
In 2004, Starbucks purchased 12.6 million pounds of certified and conservation coffee, which is one component of Starbucks' larger integrated approach to building mutually beneficial relationships with coffee farmers and their communities. As an important part of this approach, Starbucks purchased 4.8 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified coffee in 2004, more than double the previous year. And our commitment for 2005 is to double our purchases again, to 10 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified coffee. These purchases will benefit tens of thousands of farmers in the Fair Trade system, which we believe will make Starbucks the largest purchaser of Fair Trade coffee in North America. That being said, it is important to note that the Fair Trade system includes only 3 percent of the world's coffee. Because of our size, Starbucks buys coffee from other small, medium and large-scale farmers who are not part of the Fair Trade system.
Starbucks also pays premium prices, provides coffee farmers access to affordable credit, invests in social projects in coffee communities and provides technical assistance and agricultural expertise through the Starbucks Farmer Support Center in Costa Rica.
In addition, Starbucks has developed a set of socially responsible buying practices in collaboration with Conservation International called Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices. These guidelines are designed to protect the environment, help ensure fair prices, wages and workers' rights and promote social development in coffee communities. By 2007, Starbucks expects to purchase majority of our coffee under CAFE Practices.
There's no question that more work needs to be done to bring stability and equity to coffee farmers. But Starbucks takes great pride in being a responsible leader in those efforts.
Those who would like more information on Starbucks efforts in this and related areas can review our 2004 Corporate Social Responsibility Annual Report at http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/csrannualreport.asp.
Sue Mecklenburg is the Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Starbucks Coffee Company.
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