Starbucks x Hubbub: building stronger, greener communities, together

When Starbucks teamed up with Hubbub in 2018, we had a simple but powerful goal: help people make everyday choices that are a little kinder to the planet. Seven years later, together we’ve built community hubs all over the UK, where people come together in meaningful ways to reduce waste and help protect the planet we call home.

Hubbub is an award-winning environmental charity that’s all about inspiring action that’s good for the planet and for everyone. Together, we’ve forged a joint mission: to spark small changes that lead to stronger, greener communities.   

Since beginning this journey together, we’ve recycled more than 5 million cups, collected 2.5 million bottles and cans, distributed £6 million in funding and created more than 260 community spaces across the UK.

Now, with a new $85,000 grant delivered through The Starbucks Foundation, we’re embarking on the latest chapter in our partnership story.

Stronger, greener communities

At the heart of our work together are our community hubs. These are welcoming spaces where people can share food, pick up new skills, or simply connect with others in their community. From community fridges for struggling families to green spaces where neighbours come together to grow, plant and harvest – each hub is shaped by the community it serves, providing a space for people to make a difference and find belonging. 

“Working with Starbucks has always been a true partnership,” explains Emily Watson, Strategic Partnerships Lead at Hubbub, “we sit down together and ask: what do our communities need from us right now? What can we do to make a difference? This collaborative approach is something both Hubbub and Starbucks firmly believe in – the idea that, working side by side, we can achieve so much more than either of us could alone.”

Along the way, our own Starbucks partners have volunteered their time to support Hubbub projects – whether raising money or just raising awareness, partners around the country showed up in meaningful ways for the communities they care about.    

Partnership in action

Early work centred on reducing the environmental impact of cups. Together, we trialled a reuse scheme in 35 stores, more than doubling the number of customers bringing a reusable cup. It was so successful, we rolled the scheme out across the entire country. Since then, we’ve recycled over 5 million cups and 2.5 million plastic bottles and cans, as well as placing nearly 1,500 recycling bins across the UK.

In 2022, our partnership expanded to tackle other social and environmental challenges. With over £6 million in grants distributed, we’ve been able to support 260+ community spaces and fund projects focused on nature, sustainable diets, and food access. For instance, The Greener Communities Fund has invested £2 million to transform green spaces at 17 NHS sites and the Nature Hubs Fund has helped 140 grassroots groups with small-scale funding to create or improve local green spaces.

Our work together has also focused on food, which included the expansion of zero-emissions food redistribution via Food Connect, supporting the evolution of Community Fridges into full-scale Food Hubs, and funding innovation through the Eat It Up Fund.

Meanwhile, we’re encouraging reuse and recycling with projects like Bring It Back Fund, which has helped avoid 725,000 single-use items. Our Tidy Roadsides initiative takes a high-tech approach to clean up our streets, using AI to target litter hotspots in cities like Glasgow and Cardiff.

Investing in community spaces

Now Hubbub has received a new grant of $85,000 through The Starbucks Foundation, which distributes funds to communities and causes all over the world through Global Community Impact Grants. We’ve pledged to invest $30 million in local non-profit organisations, like Hubbub, by 2030.

“Through the partnership so far, we’ve supported hundreds of community hubs up and down the country,” says Emily, “our next step is deepening the impact of some of those hubs. The grant from The Starbucks Foundation will allow us to make our food hubs more resilient, so they can help many more people.” 

As Hubbub continues its important work, it’s clear that small actions, when taken together, can build stronger, greener communities for everyone.