<em><strong>In a letter to partners (employees), ceo Kevin Johnson outlines highlights from the company’s third Civil Rights Assessment conducted by Covington &amp; Burling LLP under leadership of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr</strong>.</em>

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We continue to pursue greater inclusion, diversity and equity at Starbucks. And as we do so, we are guided by three principles: intentionality, transparency and accountability. Being intentional and transparent is the foundation of accountability, and a meaningful part of our transparency is the regular assessment of our company's commitment to civil rights. It is an objective evaluation that 1) provides a factual and honest review of our journey in inclusion, diversity and equity, and 2) helps us track progress over time to drive truly lasting change. Each year since 2019, we have asked for and published this objective assessment, allowing us to reflect on our progress and, more importantly, focus on areas we can improve and advance this agenda.

Other companies may hesitate to allow an outside evaluator to dig into its practices, and then to make their findings public. But we work for a different kind of company. We act with courage, we challenge the status quo and we find new ways to grow—not just as a company but as partners. I’m proud that we undergo this assessment. All companies should.

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2021/03/Starbucks-2021-Civil-Rights-Assessment.pdf">This year’s Civil Rights Assessment (CRA)</a>—once again, under the leadership of former United States Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr. and his law firm, Covington &amp; Burling LLP—will be published tomorrow and made easily available to all partners, customers and stakeholders. And while I encourage all partners to read the entire assessment, I want to share with you, in advance of its publication, a look at some of the key areas of progress and opportunity identified this year: 

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As it has in the past, the assessment provides an honest review of our journey and offers expert recommendations for how we can create an even more inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace. We’re proud of the progress we continue to make, and we know that there will be setbacks. We are, however, fully committed to lasting change. Some of the opportunities identified in this year’s assessment for Starbucks include:&nbsp;

You will see the CRA outlines an agreement we recently reached with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Through a voluntary process earlier this year, Starbucks and the EEOC resolved allegations (based on workforce data from 2007 through 2011)that we had not been providing equal access to promotion opportunities for store partners based on their race and national origin. While we do not know what prompted the EEOC allegations and our analysis of this data did not reveal systemic discrimination in promotions, we know we can improve transparency around promotion opportunities. The agreement is not only the right thing for partners, it has also led us to focus more resources on structural changes necessary to support partners’ career progressions and ensure that every partner has the opportunity to learn about promotion opportunities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

What does this mean for you? You will begin to see improvements to make more partners aware of and able to apply for open positions and to enhance accountability for leaders. Leaders will also be better equipped to help their partners navigate these opportunities. We now have tools and technology to help non-retail leaders track their team’s progress towards BIPOC representation goals and to give retail partner—from baristas through managers—seamless visibility to promotion opportunities. During your upcoming performance and development conversations with your manager, each of you will have an opportunity to learn about these new systems in place, while at the same time, having space for meaningful and supportive career conversations. The tools and technology are only as good as the behaviors of a truly inclusive culture.

I want to be very clear: racism and discrimination have no place at Starbucks. Not with customers. Not with partners. If you ever have a concern regarding racism or discrimination, we have several resources in place to support you, including your PRO partner, PRSC, or our Ethics &amp; Compliance team. You can also reach out to <a href="mailto:inclusion@starbucks.com">our I&amp;D team</a> if you have any questions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Inclusion is at the very core of what we do at Starbucks. We inspire and nurture the human spirit. We create places of warmth and belonging, where everyone is welcome. As we continue to have these open conversations about diversity and equity, we discover time and again that inclusion lines up perfectly with our Mission and Values.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Starbucks Civil Rights Assessments

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n a letter to partners (employees), ceo Kevin Johnson outlines highlights from the company’s third Civil Rights Assessment conducted by Covington & Burling LLP under leadership of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr.

Our Third Civil Rights Assessment

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In a letter to partners (employees), ceo Kevin Johnson outlines highlights from the company’s third Civil Rights Assessment conducted by Covington & Burling LLP under leadership of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr.

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In 2019, Starbucks commissioned Covington &amp; Burling, under the leadership of former Attorney General Eric Holder, to conduct an assessment of Starbucks commitment to civil rights, equity, diversity and inclusion. 

This report assessed our current initiatives and long-standing efforts to be “a different kind of company,” one that strives to promote issues related to civil rights, for our workforce, our customers, and the communities we serve. We knew this assessment would help us on the journey to be more welcoming, but understood we needed to track progress over time to truly drive change. 

One year later, we invited Mr. Holder back to review our progress against these recommendations. 

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An update on Starbucks Civil Rights Assessment - Starbucks Stories

An update on Starbucks Civil Rights Assessment

In 2019, Starbucks commissioned Covington & Burling to conduct an assessment of Starbucks commitment to civil rights, equity, diversity and inclusion.

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https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/an-update-on-starbucks-civil-rights-assessment/

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civil rights assessment - Starbucks Stories

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