Since early 2020, Starbucks has adhered to three guiding principles for navigating the pandemic:

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① Prioritizing the health and well-being of our partners and customers ② Playing a constructive role in supporting health and government officials as they work to mitigate the spread of this virus ③ Showing up in a positive and responsible way to serve our communities

As we take stock of our journey to this point, we’ve created a chronological timeline that outlines some of the major standards and policies we’ve put in place to protect our partners and customers. We will continue to heed the advice of public health experts and make decisions based on sound science.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If you’d prefer a summary of our actions throughout the course of the pandemic, please see <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/response-to-covid/" data-type="story_category" data-id="3142">Our Response to COVID-19</a>.

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Mar. 4, 2020 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/navigating-through-covid-19/" target="_blank">Starbucks outlines precautionary steps during COVID-19 outbreak</a>

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Mar. 5, 2020 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/one-global-companys-bold-steps-to-navigate-covid-19-in-china-and-the-lessons-learned/" target="_blank">Navigating COVID-19 in China and lessons learned</a> Starbucks U.S. leverages lessons from Starbucks China on dealing with the early days of COVID-19.

Mar. 6, 2020 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/letter-to-partners-update-on-covid-19-preparedness/" target="_blank">Putting into action care and concern for partners and customers</a> Letter from Rosann Williams, executive vice president and president North America for Starbucks, details processes and protocols following first confirmed case in a Starbucks store.

Mar. 9, 2020 Starbucks joins Seattle business and community leaders to provide support and resources through COVID-19 Starbucks joins COVID-19 Response Fund in Seattle to rapidly deploy resources to local organizations on the frontlines of the outbreak. Commits more than $2.5 million, including $250,000 from The Starbucks Foundation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mar. 11, 2020 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/letter-to-partners-caring-for-starbucks-partners-during-covid-19/" target="_blank">Caring for Starbucks partners during COVID-19</a> In addition to existing benefits, Starbucks announces additional mental health support and catastrophe pay for employees exposed or diagnosed with COVID-19.&nbsp;Benefit is 14 days.

Mar. 11, 2020 Kevin Johnson, Starbucks ceo, outlines steps company is taking for health of customers, partners and community Starbucks announces stores are prepared to modify operations on a case-by-case, community-by-community, store-by-store basis – including store closure and limited seating – based on partner safety and local directives.&nbsp;

Mar. 15, 2020 Starbucks will temporarily change to a “to go” model in U.S. and Canada stores Starbucks implements social distancing in stores and moves to a “to go” model for at least two weeks in U.S. and Canada.&nbsp;

Mar. 16, 2020 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/starbucks-transforms-mental-health-benefit-for-us-employees/" target="_blank">Starbucks Transforms Mental Health Benefit for U.S. Employees</a> Starbucks announces new mental health care benefit in partnership with Lyra Health, which enables U.S. partners to receive up to 20 free therapy sessions.

Mar. 20, 2020 Starbucks temporarily moves to primarily drive-thru-only in U.S., confirms expanded catastrophe pay for worried partners Starbucks closes access to cafes and reduces service to drive-thru and delivery only for two weeks in the U.S. Exceptions are made for cafes serving in or around hospitals and health care centers.&nbsp;

Mar. 22, 2020 Update on how Starbucks is supporting partners and communities during COVID-19 During two-week closure, Starbucks drive-thru stores stayed open and partners showed up to support each other. Starbucks Service Pay introduced for partners who choose to continue coming to work.&nbsp;

Mar. 22, 2020 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/a-time-for-resilience/" target="_blank">A </a><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/a-time-for-resilience/" target="_blank">message from Starbucks ceo Kevin Johnson: A time for resilience</a> Starbucks ceo Kevin Johnson recognizes the gravity of the times in a letter to partners and customers, committing to pay all Starbucks U.S. and Canada retail partners for 30 days, whether or not they come to work.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“No partner should have to choose between work and their health,” he said.

Mar. 22, 2020 Message from Rossann Williams: Providing additional COVID-19 Partner Care In a letter to partners, Rossann Williams announces Starbucks Service Pay, an additional $3 per hour for shifts worked as scheduled, and a new temporary food benefit and partner discount.&nbsp;

Mar. 25, 2020 <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-partners-bring-coffee-and-comfort-to-covid-19-front-line-responders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks offers free coffee to front-line responders</a> Starbucks announced it will offer free coffee to front line responders through May 3, 2020. In addition, The Starbucks Foundation donates $500,000 to support front-line responders.&nbsp;

Apr. 1, 2020 Starbucks Playbook for Navigating COVID-19 Company establishes three guiding principles for navigating the pandemic:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Apr. 1, 2020 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/the-starbucks-foundation-donates-more-than-3m-to-global-covid-19-relief-efforts/" target="_blank">Using our scale for good around the world during extraordinary times</a> The Starbucks Foundation donates more than $3 million to support global COVID-19 relief efforts around the world, designed to partner with key organizations in order to ensure those who need the most help get it.&nbsp;

Also, all temporary benefits for Starbucks partners extended through May 3. Thermometers provided in all stores.

Apr. 8, 2020 Taking care of Starbucks partners around the world through emergency relief Starbucks contributes $10 million to establish the new Starbucks Global Partner Emergency Relief Program for partners facing extreme hardship as a result of COVID-19.&nbsp;

Apr. 8, 2020 <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-provides-update-on-recovery-in-china-impact-of-covid-19-on-us-business/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks provides update on recovery in China, impact of COVID-19 on U.S. Business</a> In an open stakeholder letter from ceo Kevin Johnson and cfo Pat Grismer filed as an 8-K, the company provided an update on business recovery in China, the impact COVID-19 has had on U.S. business and how it is well positioned financially to weather this crisis. The company remains optimistic about Starbucks resilience and is confident it will emerge from this crisis stronger than before. &nbsp;

Apr. 16, 2020 Starbucks shares how it's prepared to "monitor and adapt" the customer experience through COVID-19 In a letter to partners, Kevin Johnson outlined the company’s transition to a new phase of operations in the U.S., best described as “monitor and adapt,” based on experience in China during COVID-19. As was the case in China, Starbucks will gradually expand and shift the customer experiences in stores based on a clear decision-making framework.

Apr. 16, 2020 <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/a-letter-to-partners-partner-care-as-we-rebuild-from-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A letter to partners: Comprehensive partner care as we adapt to COVID-19</a> In a letter to partners, Rossann Williams shares that many stores will reopen on May 4, Starbucks will extend Service Pay through the end of May and extend catastrophe pay.&nbsp;

Apr. 16, 2020 Starbucks Joins in the Efforts to Support Food Banks in the U.S. and Canada Starbucks announced additional efforts to support food banks in the U.S. and Canada as they struggle to meet the increased demand, shortages in food donations and logistical complexities related to their operations. &nbsp;&nbsp;

To date, The Starbucks Foundation has donated over $5.5 million to support global COVID-19 response efforts.

Apr. 16, 2020 <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2020/starbucks-partners-offer-support-to-frontline-workers-across-asia/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2020/starbucks-partners-offer-support-to-frontline-workers-across-asia/">Starbucks partners offer support to frontline workers across Asia, donating free food and beverage</a><a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2020/starbucks-partners-offer-support-to-frontline-workers-across-asia/" data-type="URL" data-id="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2020/starbucks-partners-offer-support-to-frontline-workers-across-asia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">s</a>

Apr. 29, 2020 More stores to welcome customers – here’s what to expect Starbucks prepares customers for a new experience, focusing on the ability to use the Starbucks App to order and pay ahead of time and then pick up the order in drive-thrus. Grab-and-go also introduced, as well as Starbucks Delivers via Uber Eats.

May 4, 2020 The Third Place: Needed Now More than Ever In a letter from the ceo, Starbucks announces plans to responsibly reopen more than 85 percent of company-operated stores by May 9 across the U.S. The Third Place concept shifts from physical space to mindset as communities seek to reconnect and heal.

May 18, 2020 <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/the-starbucks-foundation-teams-with-john-krasinski-some-good-news/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Starbucks Foundation teams with John Krasinski’s Some Good News</a> The Starbucks Foundation teams up with John Krasinski’s Some Good News to announce Some Good Merch, with Starbucks matching the first $1 million in proceeds for COVID-19 relief efforts.&nbsp;

May 21, 2020 Building a Bridge to Our Future Leadership letters to partners reiterate the need for Starbucks to be prepared as the public comes out of isolation and people crave connection and community. Launch multifaceted ad campaign designed to help customers find stores, check hours and use contactless payment. Hours and operations continue to be modified.

May 26, 2020 Letter from Rossann: A letter to partners: Partner care as we rebuild from COVID-19 Starbucks implements a new COVID-19 Leave of Absence policy for partners who prefer to take an unpaid leave through Sept. 30 and accrue up to 30 hours per week toward benefits eligibility.

May 28, 2020 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/the-starbucks-foundation-supporting-community-response-and-resilience-during-covid-19/" target="_blank">The Starbucks Foundation: Supporting Community Response and Resilience during COVID-19</a> The Starbucks Foundation distributes more than $1 million to more than 400 local organizations across the U.S. and Canada to support COVID-19 community response, inspired and informed by Starbucks partners.&nbsp;

Supporting coffee-growing communities: The&nbsp;Starbucks Foundation has donated $1 million to Mercy Corps to support COVID-19 prevention communication and extend urgently needed direct support across coffee and tea farming communities in Indonesia, Colombia, Guatemala, India and Ethiopia. To prevent transmission and protect lives and livelihoods, Mercy Corps is providing hygiene supplies as well as vouchers, clean water filters and other assistance to vulnerable families during this crisis. These efforts have reached more than 200,000 people to date.

Jun. 10, 2020 Restore and Build Resilience: Elevating the Customer and Partner Experience Starbucks releases “Bridge to the Future” vision to stakeholders, including specifics on how the company is transforming customer and partner experience during the pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jul. 9, 2020 Protecting Partners and Customers – An Update on Facial Coverings Facial coverings required in all company owned locations in the U.S. In select locations without mandates, customers not wearing facial coverings can order at the drive-thru, do curbside pickup or place an order for delivery. Recommit to playing a constructive role in supporting health and government officials and mitigating the spread of COVID-19. Release of “At-a-Glance” guide for customers.

Jul. 17, 2020 Starbucks ceo discusses the company’s playbook for navigating COVID-19 Kevin Johnson joins national Retail Federation to discuss Starbucks response to the pandemic and ongoing evolution of Third Place. He reiterates learnings from China, mask policy, and how Starbucks is navigating the next phase.

Jan. 5, 2021 Starbucks gives 2.2M cups of free coffee to front-line responders in December &nbsp; Starbucks update in midst of winter surge:&nbsp;&nbsp;

Since March 2020, The Starbucks Foundation has donated more than $1 million to support front-line responders, including delivery of personal protective equipment, essential medical items, care packages and handwritten letters and support for emergency assistance including mental health resources for first responders and health care workers. Since the start of COVID-19, Starbucks has provided:&nbsp;

Jan. 18, 2021 Starbucks Joins the Washington State Vaccine Command and Coordination Center (WSVCCC) Starbucks joins the Washington State Vaccine Command and Coordination Center (WSVCCC), a new statewide public-private partnership to boost vaccine distribution efforts established by Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and the Washington Department of Health. Partners from across the company join the humanitarian effort.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Feb. 8, 2021 Starbucks Offers Vaccine Pay and Expanded COVID-19 Benefits for Partners Ongoing safety protocols in every store + updated policies:&nbsp;

Feb. 8, 2021 Starbucks begins developing a vaccine campaign with partners focusing on education, engagement, empowerment and enablement The company also hosted educational sessions on vaccines with Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center.

Mar. 8, 2021 Hardship grants for partners announced Another resource available to partners is the company’s CUP Fund, which provides grants for partners experiencing financial hardships. Starting March 8, 2021, partners can apply for an expedited 2021 COVID-19 CUP Fund grant for certain financial hardship needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, up to $500.

Apr. 18, 2021 Starbucks launches vaccine "make your plan" resources for partners to help them find vaccine locations in their community

Apr. 19, 2021 <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2021/starbucks-support-of-safe-and-equitable-vaccine-distribution/" target="_blank">Starbucks Support of Safe and Equitable Vaccine Distribution</a> Starbucks offers up to 4 hours of paid time off if partners experience vaccine-related side effects and miss a scheduled shift within 48 hours of receiving each dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, up to two doses. (This is in addition to offering two hours of paid time off per dose for partners who choose to get the COVID-19 vaccine, up to two doses.) The company offers online tools for partners, as well as their friends and family, to create their vaccine plan and easily access state-by-state vaccine distribution and availability information.&nbsp;

In addition, the company has made several investments in innovative programs that help increase safe and equitable access to vaccines, including a $250,000 donation to help fund Team Rubicon’s mobile vaccination site pilots, as well as a total of $50,000 to local Seattle-area hospitals Swedish and UW Medicine to support their efforts to deliver vaccines directly to underserved communities.

Apr. 30, 2021 Starbucks support for India's COVID-19 response Starbucks announces support for partners in India:&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jun. 21, 2021 Starbucks provides stores with a toolkit on how to partner with community organizations to host popup vaccine events

Oct. 18, 2021 Starbucks launches internal weekly COVID-19 updates to U.S. store managers As Delta surges and large businesses anticipate a mandate from the federal government requiring all employees get vaccinated, Starbucks launches internal weekly COVID-19 updates to U.S. store managers and an email account for partners to ask outstanding questions. The Q&amp;A is released weekly and reflects a fluid situation.

Nov. 1, 2021 Booster Pay information shared with partners All U.S. store partners who self-disclosed their vaccine information are eligible to receive 2 hours of paid time off for their vaccine booster shot.

Jan. 4, 2022 <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/letter-to-starbucks-partners-vaccines-testing-and-supporting-you-in-next-phase-of-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Letter to Starbucks partners: Vaccines, testing and supporting you in next phase of COVID-19</a> The Supreme Court strikes down the OSHA ETS vaccine mandate. Starbucks continues to provide guidance on safety measures, empowering store managers to make the best decisions in their local communities in accordance with local regulations.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jan. 10, 2022 Starbucks Support Center begins reopening in waves Starbucks Support Center, which had been closed (except to office dependent partners (employees) since spring of 2020, reopens in waves, with safety precautions in mind. All non-retail domestic and international air travel will continue to require written evp approval during this period.&nbsp;

As we take stock of our journey to this point, we’ve created a chronological timeline that outlines some of the major standards and policies we’ve put in place to protect our partners and customers. We will continue to heed the advice of public health experts and make decisions based on sound science. 

Timeline: Starbucks COVID-19 Milestones

Stories to inspire and nurture the human spirit

Starbucks Stories

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Starbucks Corporation

Timeline: Starbucks COVID-19 Milestones 

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This holiday season, The Starbucks Foundation donated a total of $1 million to three outstanding nonprofits by asking customers and partners (employees) to vote for the causes closest to their hearts. It’s just one part of the year-round giving by The Starbucks Foundation, and Starbucks, to empower youth, support frontline responders, alleviate hunger and so much more.

$500,000 will go to World Central Kitchen

<a href="https://wck.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Central Kitchen</a> uses the power of food to nourish communities and strengthen economies in times of crisis and beyond.

$300,000 will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters

<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.bbbs.org" target="_blank">Big Brothers Big Sisters</a> creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.directrelief.org" target="_blank">Direct Relief</a> equips health professionals in resource-poor communities to meet the challenges of diagnosing, treating and caring for people in need.

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Continue reading to learn more about the impact we’re making together.

Strengthening communities all year round

The Starbucks Foundation’s 2021 investments in communities

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*Based on pounds provided using the USDA calculation of 1.2 pounds equals 1 meal

This holiday season, The Starbucks Foundation donated a total of $1 million to three outstanding nonprofits by asking customers and partners to vote for the causes closest to their hearts.

The Starbucks Foundation donates $1 million to help strengthen communities

You voted, we gave: The Starbucks Foundation donates $1 million to help strengthen communities

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This holiday season, The Starbucks Foundation donated a total of $1 million to three outstanding nonprofits by asking customers and partners (employees) to vote for the causes closest to their hearts.

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Updated August 15, 2022

Starbucks has always been about great coffee.&nbsp;But we are much more than that.

Coffee has the power to fuel human connection—bringing people together and building community all at once. Our mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit, one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. That means working to strengthen the communities we serve. And because we know that it is our partners (employees) who know their neighborhoods best, our impact in local communities is most meaningful when it begins with them.

The Starbucks Foundation supports a wide range of causes that Starbucks partners are passionate about addressing in their communities, such as:

Since 2019, more than 45,000 Starbucks partners have participated, resulting in Neighborhood Grants totaling more than $10 million to more than 6,000 organizations across the U.S. and Canada. &nbsp;

The most recent round of nominations during Starbucks Global Month of Good in April 2022 saw record participation from Starbucks partners across U.S. and Canada. The Starbucks Foundation recently announced it is awarding 1,700 grants totaling $2.5 million to organizations nominated by partners. See the latest list of grant recipients <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2021/06/2022-The-Starbucks-Foundation-Global-Month-of-Good-Neighborhood-Grants-Awards.pdf">here</a>.

Learn more about previous Neighborhood Grants:

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About Neighborhood Grants

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/the-starbucks-foundation/">The Starbucks Foundation</a>’s Neighborhood Grants program supports grassroots, community-led nonprofit organizations through catalytic investments in the form of small grants that range from $1,000 to $10,000. Through this unique program, The Starbucks Foundation invites Starbucks partners to nominate a local organization in their community. Neighborhood Grants also help build sustained local impact and inspire increased partner (employee) engagement with nonprofits organizations that work in our communities.

Since 2019, Starbucks partners have nominated organizations across the U.S. and Canada, with more than 3,500 organizations receiving a grant, amounting to more than $7.5 million.

Strengthening Communities Through Neighborhood Grants

Strengthening Communities Through The Starbucks Foundation Neighborhood Grants

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This page shows data from our 2020 Report. For the most up-to-date goals and progress, see our <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/starbucks-global-environmental-and-social-impact-report-2021/">2021 Global Environmental &amp; Social Impact Report</a>.

Our aspiration is to be people positive — investing in humanity and the well-being of everyone we connect with, from our partners to coffee farmers to the customers in our stores and beyond.

ADVANCING RACIAL AND SOCIAL EQUITY

An Update on Our Progress

Goal: Advance racial and social equity on behalf of our partners, our customers and our communities.&nbsp; Since the beginning, Starbucks has set out to be a different kind of company rooted in providing a third place where everyone is welcomed and respected.&nbsp;

Each day we reaffirm our responsibility to one another — to care for each other, to strengthen our communities and to ensure diverse perspectives are represented at the company’s highest levels. We are committed to furthering that work with intention, with transparency and with accountability. Some of those commitments in FY20 included:&nbsp;

We know this work is a journey. Our partners, our customers and the communities we serve ground us in an open dialogue and a collective desire to create lasting change.

Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index: 100%

Goal: Continue to be a top employer for LGBTQIA2+ workplace equality In 2020, for the eighth consecutive year and eleventh year overall, we achieved a 100% rating from the <a href="https://www.thehrcfoundation.org/professional-resources/corporate-equality-index-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index</a> based on corporate policies and practices for LGBTQIA2+ equality.

Disability Equality Index: 100/100

Goal: Continue to advance disability inclusion in the workplace In 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019, Starbucks scored 100 out of 100 on the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://disabilityin.org/what-we-do/disability-equality-index/" target="_blank">Disability Equality Index</a> (DEI) and was recognized as a “Best Place to Work.” We are a member of Disability:IN’s Inclusion Works program, a national forum for peer institutions to share best and evolving practices on Access and Disability Inclusion. Starbucks Retail Inclusion Academy, operating since 2017, prepares people with disabilities for retail jobs. This work is consistent with <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2015/starbucks-commitment-to-access-and-disability-inclusion/">our commitment</a> to access and disability inclusion.

Our approach to hiring, development and advancement of our partners is critical to our journey to advance inclusion, diversity and equity at Starbucks. As of August 2020, our U.S. partner base was 69% female and 47% BIPOC. Within BIPOC representation, partners are 8% Black, 27% Hispanic or Latinx, 6% Asian, 5% Multiracial, 0.6% American Indian or Alaskan Native and 0.6% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. As of August 2020, our senior leadership was comprised of 51% women and 19% BIPOC.

In looking at representation data, with more detail <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/workforce-diversity-at-starbucks/">here</a>, we have identified opportunities to improve career advancement for our BIPOC partners throughout the organization, and we’re using this data to help us focus our efforts to promote greater equity and inclusion among BIPOC partners at all levels.&nbsp;

5,221 Veterans in FY20, 2,620 Refugees to Date

We remain committed to hiring 5,000 military veterans annually and 10,000 refugees globally by 2022. In FY20, we hired 5,221 U.S. veterans and military spouses; we were able to confirm hiring 520 refugees in the U.S., Canada and EMEA, bringing our cumulative total to 2,620. In FY20, we evolved our tracking of Opportunity Youth hiring targets to focus on our diversity goals established in FY20.

100% Gender and Racial Pay Equity in the U.S., 100% Gender Equity in Pay in China, Canada, Austria, Great Britain, Italy and Switzerland

Starbucks has achieved and maintained 100% <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/how-starbucks-is-addressing-the-pay-gap/">pay equity</a> for women and men, and for people of all races performing similar work in the U.S. In 2018, when we first hit that milestone, we announced that we are committed to reaching 100% gender equity in pay for all partners in Starbucks company-operated markets globally. A year later, we reached the goal of gender equity in pay in China and Canada, and we maintained that in FY20 while achieving gender equity in pay in other company-owned markets: Austria, Great Britain, Italy and Switzerland.

In FY20, our licensed partners in Singapore, the Philippines and <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2019/tata-starbucks-achieves-100-pay-equity-approaches-30-gender-diversity-milestone-in-india-aims-for-40-gender-diversity-by-2022/">India</a> announced they had achieved 100% pay equity for women and men. In India, women comprise 29% of the Starbucks workforce, a key gender diversity milestone toward the goal of 40% by 2022.

Goal: Continued cultivation of inclusion, diversity and equity awareness In FY20, the 15-course <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.starbucksglobalacademy.com/to-be-welcoming" target="_blank">To Be Welcoming</a> anti-bias curriculum grew from 5,688 enrollments to 54,740 enrollments. We made the curriculum publicly available and saw high levels of engagement from partners and non-partners, with Starbucks partners comprising 48.5% enrollees and non-partners comprising 51.5% of enrollees.

We also offer the Third Place Development Series, designed to equip store managers and store partners with new tools for reflection and to facilitate discussions about important and challenging topics related to mental health, equity, inclusion and bias.

COLLEGE EDUCATION BENEFIT

Goal: Graduate 25,000 Starbucks partners from Arizona State University (ASU) by the end of 2025 The <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-celebrates-our-college-graduates/">Starbucks College Achievement Plan</a> (SCAP) is helping benefits-eligible U.S. partners working part- or full-time complete their education by receiving 100% tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program. As of FY20, nearly 4,500 partners have graduated with degrees since the program began in 2014, and the May 2020 graduating class was the largest ever at 700. More than 14,000 partners across the U.S. participated in ASU’s online degree programs in FY20, and more than 20% of those were first-generation college students.

Goal: Continued leadership in innovative, relevant benefits for full- and part-time retail partners We’re proud that we have pioneered innovative benefits for full- and part-time partners around the world. In the U.S., eligible partners who work at least 20 hours a week receive a <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2017/starbucks-commitment-to-partners">benefits package</a> that includes comprehensive and affordable health insurance, 100% college tuition coverage, equity in the form of stock, paid parental leave, child and adult back-up care and more.&nbsp;

In FY20, we expanded our commitment to <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/starbucks-commitment-to-partners-mental-health/">partner mental health</a> in a number of ways, based on partner feedback:

Internationally, we customize our compensation and benefits packages to remain responsive to partners’ feedback and competitive in the marketplace. In China, for example, Starbucks has been named a <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2019/brewing-a-culture-of-family-starbucks-named-one-of-chinas-best-employers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">top employer</a> by Aon Hewitt.

SOCIAL IMPACT-DESIGNED STORES

29 Community Stores, 68 Military Stores, 9 Signing Stores

In FY20, Starbucks <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/starbucks-expands-commitment-in-underserved-communities-across-the-us/">increased its commitment</a> in the U.S. to open Community Stores in traditionally underserved, diverse communities across the country. Community stores focus on creating pathways for those facing barriers to opportunity by hiring from within the community, creating dedicated space for communities to come together for events and working with diverse contractors for store construction and remodels. We have invested in 17 U.S. Community Stores, with the latest opening in the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/starbucks-opens-community-store-in-watts-neighborhood-of-la/">Watts neighborhood</a> of Los Angeles in FY20. We plan to open 100 Community Stores in the U.S. by the end of 2025.

As of FY20, Starbucks had opened four Community Stores in Asia across three markets, with different areas of focus that include providing educational opportunities for children and supporting youth entrepreneurs and farming communities.

We also operated six Signing Stores in FY20 around the world to provide employment opportunities for Deaf and hard of hearing people and drive greater community connection. In FY20, our licensed partner in India opened two stores staffed entirely by women, creating a welcoming space for women to grow and develop their careers at Starbucks.

In the U.S., we have invested in 68 Military Family Stores as of FY20, which offer support for military communities, and plan to open 132 of them by 2022.

Goal: Create connections among partners, communities and those who serve In FY20, we supported <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-offers-free-coffee-to-veterans-active-duty-and-military-spouses-on-veterans-day/">military veterans</a> in our community in a variety of ways. Stores adopted military units to show gratitude and we continued our partnerships to support military communities, with a focus on mental health and well-being through the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.nami.org/Home" target="_blank">National Alliance on Mental Illness</a>; <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://getheadstrong.org/" target="_blank">Headstrong</a>; <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.teamrwb.org/" target="_blank">Team Red, White &amp; Blue</a>; <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://bluestarfam.org/" target="_blank">Blue Star Families</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.missioncontinues.org/" target="_blank">The Mission Continues</a>. These activities were consistent with our <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/starbucks-military-commitment/">longstanding commitment</a> to supporting veterans and military families.

Donated food available from 74% of U.S. company-operated stores

Goal: Rescue food available to donate from 100% of U.S. company-operated stores by the end of FY21 The Starbucks FoodShare program in the U.S., which launched in 2016 in partnership with Feeding America, donates eligible, unsold food to food banks and mobile pantries. In FY20, the program redirected food from 74% of U.S. company-operated stores. We also doubled down on investments in successful, long-term strategies like mobile pantries, which help overcome transportation and access barriers by bringing food to families where they are. As a result of these initiatives, Starbucks donated more than 8.9 million meals in FY20, as well as $1 million to mobile pantry programs.

As the needs of food banks increase, we continue to learn from the many logistical challenges of ongoing perishable food delivery so we can increase the scale of this program. Internationally, similar food donation programs exist in several markets, including a FoodShare program in Canada and food waste diversion programs in 14 countries across EMEA markets.

Launch of Outreach Worker Pilot in Five Cities

Goal: Provide store partners support to address customers with critical needs In FY20, Starbucks launched a one-year Outreach Worker pilot program with <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.unitedway.org/" target="_blank">United Way Worldwide</a>. The program began in five U.S. cities (Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Philadelphia). It supports store partners in high-incident stores by connecting them to outreach workers who bring expertise in hyper-local social work and can support customers with critical needs, while decreasing non-critical reliance on law enforcement. With initial success and impact in FY20, we have committed to expanding the program into additional cities, adapting from pilot learnings and broadening our partnership to include other outreach organizations.

Resources, Information, Lyft Rides

Goal: Support partners and customers in having safe and accessible ways to vote No partner should have to choose between work and having their voice heard. In FY20, Starbucks continued to promote the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-unveils-plan-to-support-partner-and-customer-voter-engagement/">importance of voting</a> – including making sure partners had the tools and time to vote and encouraging government at all levels to make sure Americans have safe and accessible ways to vote. Through a campaign that included using the Starbucks app and a partnership with a non-partisan coalition of businesses, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.civicalliance.com/" target="_blank">Civic Alliance</a>, we provided partners and customers with resources and information about how and where to register to vote. We also provided all U.S. partners with a free Lyft ride worth up to $75 so they could travel to the polls to vote, volunteer as a poll worker or drop a ballot at a post office, ballot box or other official ballot drop location.

We formed partnerships in FY20 with the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://naacp.org/" target="_blank">NAACP</a>, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://hispanicfederation.org/" target="_blank">Hispanic Federation</a>, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://iava.org/" target="_blank">Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America</a> and the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://lawyerscommittee.org/" target="_blank">Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights</a> to create opportunities for our partners to volunteer in civic-related activities in their local communities.&nbsp;

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

&nbsp;$600 Million in FY20

Goal: Stimulate economic development in the communities Starbucks serves while delivering high-quality products and services <a href="https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/sourcing/suppliers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks Supplier Diversity and Inclusion program</a> drives inclusion of qualified businesses that are at least 51% owned and operated by a U.S. or Canadian citizen or legal resident and certified as minority, woman, LGBTQ, veteran, person with a disability, or socio-economically disadvantaged small businesses classified as HUB Zone or 8(a). The program’s current emphasis is to focus on suppliers of all sizes and facilitate mentorships to support suppliers’ success.

Starbucks has spent nearly $8 billion with diverse suppliers since 2000. In FY20, we spent more than $600 million with diverse tier-one suppliers, which was 8.1% of the company’s total spend in the U.S. and Canada.

Goal: Further the respect for human rights globally&nbsp; In FY20, Starbucks published an update to our <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/global-human-rights-statement/">global human rights statement</a> to outline our company’s commitment and expectations of our partners, supply chain and business partners to uphold human rights throughout our global operations. In this update Starbucks committed to respect the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www2.unwomen.org/-/media/field office eseasia/docs/publications/2016/05/wep-booklet-en.pdf?la=en&amp;vs=5928" target="_blank">Women’s Empowerment Principles</a>, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://d306pr3pise04h.cloudfront.net/docs/issues_doc%2Fhuman_rights%2FCRBP%2FChildrens_Rights_and_Business_Principles.pdf" target="_blank">Children’s Rights and Business Principles</a>, and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/issues/environment/srenvironment/pages/frameworkprinciplesreport.aspx" target="_blank">Framework Principles on Human Rights and the Environment</a>. Our policy also reiterates our respect for the crucial work done by Human Rights Defenders who work individually or with others to promote or protect human rights. As part of our commitment to this work, throughout the last fiscal year as allegations of human rights abuses throughout our supply chain have been raised, Starbucks has investigated and remediated when appropriate.

COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDING IN CHICAGO

&nbsp;$8 Million Invested in FY20

Barista with black cap and long dark ponytail handing a beverage to customer in camouflage jacket

Our aspiration is to be people positive — investing in everyone we connect with, from our partners to coffee farmers to the customers in our stores and beyond.

Starbucks 2020 Global Environmental and Social Impact Report: People

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2020 Report: People

Civic engagement is always important, particularly in an election year. But it’s just one way to get involved. Committed leaders and volunteers like these Starbucks partners (employees) are finding ways to build community all year round.

Supporting the Latinx community in Maryland

Carlos Lopez, the manager at the Starbucks Prince George’s County&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/starbucks-expands-commitment-in-underserved-communities-across-the-us/">community store</a>&nbsp;in Maryland, is determined to transform the stores he works at into community resource hubs, especially for the high concentration of Central Americans who live in the area. A third of his staff are Latinx.&nbsp;

To increase participation in the census, Carlos worked with the Maryland Department of Planning to create bilingual engagement resources. He has partnered with a local non-profit to improve relationships between the community and police. He and his partners made personal donations to a microloan program to support coffee farmers in Guatemala. He supports coffee ground composting and assists at food distribution events.

Pre-COVID, Carlos hosted cultural events at his store. As soon as he can, he wants to bring back Noches de Cultura, a night of culture, where the public and his store partners study Hispanic painters or an important issue, like the Amazon rainforest wildfires, and then respond by painting.&nbsp;

“One of the biggest things for me is to try and encompass all the different aspects of the community,” Lopez says. “It’s trying to give back in a sense for all those people that helped me.”&nbsp;

Shortly after the local election season in 2017, DJ Mitchell-Jones, store manager in Miami Gardens, Fla., became certified to register people to vote. She’s since partnered with local nonpartisan groups like the Miami-Dade NAACP to host voter registration events in her community.⠀

“We complain about what’s happening in our communities, but so, so many people in our communities don’t vote. After [that election], I jumped in with both feet. It’s my driving force. This store has become a hub of information and access.”⠀

Before COVID-19, her cafe was a veritable town hall, with regular events aimed at boosting civic engagement and voter education. Now she’s working on ways to make those virtual.⠀

“When you think about what John Lewis and other leaders in our communities and in our history have done to get us the right to even participate? People have died so I could have the right to vote. For me, if I don’t exercise my rights, what did they sacrifice for?”⠀

Elyiss Dozier, a shift supervisor in Lexington, Ky., recently responded to the question “Why do you vote?” with this statement in a video he sent to share with fellow partners.

“I vote because no matter how insignificant you may feel that you are, or if you feel your view doesn’t matter, your view matters, and everyone should be heard. Everyone should vote.”

For Nadim Damluji, a first-generation Arab American and senior manager of government affairs at Starbucks, democracy has a special meaning.⠀

“To me, the ability to participate in democracy is a privilege as much as it is a right. My parents emigrated from Lebanon and Iraq, and as a first generation American I was fortunate enough to be born with the privilege to participate in our democracy.”⠀ ⠀ Inspired by his upbringing and fueled by a passion for justice and equity, he’s dedicated his career to removing barriers to opportunity.⠀ ⠀ “As an attorney I’ve studied the long legal battles fought by women and people of color to gain access to the same opportunity I was born with, and how many battles there are left to fight both in the U.S. and globally. I’m committed to playing a part in removing the barriers that still persist.”

As a member of Starbucks Global Public Policy and Government Affairs team, Nadim worked with a number of different civil rights groups. He helped facilitate the development of a course on Political Culture Bias for Arizona State University’s “To Be Welcoming” curriculum. And he’s advocated on behalf of Starbucks DACA/Dreamer partners in the legal system.

“Advocacy is part of democracy, make sure to exercise your right to be heard even when there isn’t an election. Reach out to elected officials at all levels on the issues that matter most to you.”

When Hillary Lamp Tosi, store manager in Baltimore, Md., volunteered at an event for high school graduates, she discovered the organization Black Girls Vote, whose mission is to educate and empower women to channel their collective voices at the polls. She remembers being in awe of their dedication to improving the lives of Black women and girls through encouraging voting and civic engagement.

“The passion I saw on stage [when the team at Black Girls Vote spoke] really stuck with me. After I met with them, I knew that our district had to become more involved with their cause.”

Hillary and other store managers began hosting events with Black Girls Vote to help encourage voter registration and education.

“Black Girls Vote is a non-partisan organization. They don’t care who you vote for, they just want you to be registered and have your voice heard.”

Partners in Baltimore also recently nominated Black Girls Vote for a <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/the-starbucks-foundation-awards-neighborhood-grants-to-advance-racial-equity/">Neighborhood Grant</a>. They’re one of 400+ non-profits being recognized with a grant from The Starbucks Foundation for their work to support racial equity.

See how these Starbucks partners (employees) are working to promote civic engagement and community involvement.

Starbucks partners strengthen their communities through civic engagement, and more

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Each year since 2001, Starbucks has reported on its efforts to make a positive impact in the communities it serves. Starbucks ceo Kevin Johnson reflects on our progress and shares the company’s results for the 2019 fiscal year.

Dear Starbucks partners, customers and stakeholders:

As we provide our 19th annual update on our global social impact activity, we also sit at a significant time in history that’s requiring major changes to our business around the world as <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/navigating-through-covid-19/">quickly and dynamically</a> as possible to meet the needs of our partners, customers and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Starbucks partners are showing how resilient they are in ways no one dreamed about a year ago. They’re upping the ante every day on what our company represents: Using the ritual of connecting over coffee to uplift the everyday experience and drive deeper human connection.&nbsp;

Each one of us at Starbucks is forever changed from this pandemic, as are the communities we serve. It has underscored how important serving our customers and communities is to us, and it’s brought new perspective and resonance to the ability Starbucks has to make the world a better place. This time is historic in an additional way, as many of our communities are coming together to protest racial injustice and highlight the vast improvement necessary in the way society treats people of color. Clearly, current events are showing us that executing our global social impact agenda successfully is now more important than ever.

Decades ago, Starbucks developed an agenda of global social impact priorities. In broad strokes, our investments have centered around balancing our role as a for-profit company with the betterment of people and the planet.

That means we invest in people – especially our partners, so they in turn can support people in the communities we serve. It also means we recognize healthy human lives depend on healthy ecosystems, so we work to better the health of our natural resources. As a result, we now have a long-term aspiration to be a resource positive company – storing more carbon than we emit, providing more clean freshwater than we use, and eliminating waste.

We can be proud of our Global Social Impact progress in fiscal year 2019. We continued working to put partners first and create a culture where everyone is welcome, including conducting a first-time, third-party <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/update-on-starbucks-ongoing-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-efforts/">Civil Rights Assessment</a> that we continue to consider and implement. We worked to strengthen the communities where Starbucks partners live and work, expanding innovative grants, investments and community service models.

We also invested in the future of greener cups, packaging and retail, foreshadowing a much <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-announces-multi-decade-aspiration-to-become-resource-positive/">larger aspiration</a> we announced in January 2020. We invested heavily in supporting coffee communities, including dispersing a $20 million <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/starbucks-commits-20-million-for-emergency-relief-to-farmers/">Emergency Farmer Relief Fund</a>&nbsp;to support smallholder farmers in Central America experiencing the effects of low global coffee prices.&nbsp;

As a testament to our increasing commitment to our people and planet priorities, we were proud late last year to hire our first global chief officer of sustainability, Michael Kobori; our first global chief officer of inclusion and diversity, Nzinga Shaw; and our first global chief officer of ethics and compliance, Tyson Avery.&nbsp;

Now in mid-2020, the world has changed, the needs are even greater, and we continue to thoughtfully examine how Starbucks can most responsibly and constructively serve our communities and our planet going forward.&nbsp;

The crisis we are navigating has underscored that our world is small, and we need to take care of it and each other. We understand the interdependency of the health of humanity and the health of the planet. We embrace diverse voices participating in these conversations, so we can hear varying points of view to make the best decisions. We feel the threat of greater economic disparity in the future, as COVID-19 is often impacting socioeconomically disadvantaged communities more than others.

From the onset of the pandemic, we have moved swiftly to take actions to address our people and planet priorities. We’ve acted to address urgent needs related to COVID-19 as detailed and updated <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/what-customers-need-to-know-about-starbucks-response-to-covid-19/">here</a>. As an example, Starbucks has committed to a first-of-its-kind <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/starbucks-commits-10m-usd-in-covid-19-relief-for-partners-around-the-world/">$10 million emergency relief fund</a> for partners in both company-operated and licensed retail store markets around the world.&nbsp;

communities

Timeline: Starbucks COVID-19 Milestones

You voted, we gave: The Starbucks Foundation donates $1 million to help strengthen communities

Strengthening Communities Through The Starbucks Foundation Neighborhood Grants

2020 Report: People

Starbucks partners strengthen their communities through civic engagement, and more

A message from Starbucks ceo Kevin Johnson: Our 2019 impact

2019 Starbucks Global Social Impact Report

2019 Report: Strengthening Our Communities

Starbucks partners use empty café as mask sewing station

Alejandro and the flat (white)

Starbucks partners bring coffee and comfort to COVID-19 front-line responders

‘It’s at the heart of who we are:’ Starbucks drive-thrus continue to serve