The T-shirts that Starbucks partners are wearing in honor of Pride Month say it all: “You belong here.” Across the country, partners gathered locally to celebrate Pride at parades, in their stores and at other community events – part of <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/starbucks-pride-a-long-legacy-of-lgbtq-inclusion/">Starbucks long tradition</a> of supporting and celebrating the LGBTQIA2+ community year-round.&nbsp;

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Below are some of the photos partners have been sharing with each other and on social media. &nbsp;

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Rhode Island coffee tasting for Pride&nbsp;

Starbucks Support Center in Seattle, raising of Progress Flag

Across the country, Starbucks partners (employees) gathered locally to celebrate Pride at parades, in their stores and at other community events.

Starbucks partners celebrate Pride at events across U.S.

Stories to inspire and nurture the human spirit

Starbucks Stories

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Our culture has been built with a long line of partners who dared to make Starbucks a different kind of company. With each era, we each make our contribution. To continue this legacy as we create the future of Starbucks, we are radically improving the partner experience so they can thrive – at work, as individuals and together. Core to this is ensuring that Starbucks is an inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible company – a place where all are welcome, and our partners feel a sense of belonging. We know that our work can only be realized through action. We demonstrate our commitment to advancing equity through how we design our stores, our community investments, the standards we’ve put in place to hold ourselves and our leaders accountable, and so much more.

Strengthening a Culture of Inclusion

Increasing access to mentorship

In 2021, launched our Inclusion &amp; Diversity mentorship program designed to prioritize our partners’ sense of belonging by creating an inclusive and supportive environment. Mentors offer guidance, encouragement and a safe space for partners to share their experiences, challenges and aspirations. As of 2023, the program has welcomed nearly 1,400 partners.

“A program of this kind could go a long way in building not only skill and capability, but engagement and fostering a sense of hope and belief that I can maximize my true potential, and there’s room for me to do more than I’m doing today.” — Shanel, director of regional operations in Georgia and member of first cohort

Growing participation in our Partner Networks

Led by partners, for partners, Starbucks Partner Networks create moments of connection that promote diversity, foster inclusion and contribute to the success of our partners and our company. They are thoughtful advocates and powerful voices to help promote change and understanding within the organization and beyond. Through Networks, Starbucks partners build communities of belonging and moments that invite us to learn, celebrate, contribute and reflect on the diverse cultures, experiences and convictions that make us human. 

Today, we have 13 Partner Networks in the U.S., with 100+ regional chapters in the U.S. To learn more, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-partner-networks-help-create-a-culture-of-belonging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here</a>.

Maintaining 100 percent gender and race pay equity in the U.S.

Since 2018, we have been committed to consistently achieving and maintaining gender and race pay equity in the U.S. Learn more about reasons for the gender pay gap and the best practices and tools Starbucks uses to close the gap <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/how-starbucks-is-addressing-the-pay-gap/#:~:text=Starbucks%20is%20committed%20to%20100,equity%20for%20Starbucks%20partners%20globally." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

Providing tools and trainings to create inclusive environments in stores

We’re committed to equipping managers and partners with the tools and training necessary to create store environments that are free from the effects of implicit bias. This includes a detailed discussion guide with scenarios for retail leaders to understand how to connect with each partner more deeply, based on their individual experiences and challenges.

Updated and relevant training for all partners

We are requiring all leaders who are vice presidents and above to complete a two-hour anti-bias training and the foundational and racial bias courses from the To Be Welcoming curriculum. The full curriculum is also available to all partners and the public at no cost.

Setting and maintaining representation goals

By 2025, our goal is to achieve racial and ethnic diversity of at least 30% at all corporate levels and at least 40% at all retail and manufacturing roles. To see how we are doing, check out our interactive view of <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/workforce-diversity-at-starbucks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks workforce data</a>. We are continuing to enhance our efforts in reaching a broader pool of candidates and fostering inclusivity in our recruitment practices, assessing partner engagement, and continuing to provide opportunities for inclusive leadership training.

Creating accountability at leadership levels

Starbucks executives are accountable for driving inclusion and diversity within their teams, and we’re doing so by tying executive compensation to the building of inclusive and diverse teams. 

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Learn about how we celebrate heritage at Starbucks, and how our partners are part of our equity, inclusion and diversity journey:

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We aim to create environments where every partner (employee) is welcome and feels a sense of belonging. As our journey continues, we’re taking bold actions with intention, transparency and accountability.

Supporting our partners, creating a sense of belonging

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We are making investments in communities across the United States that help create opportunity, advance equity and encourage economic growth.

Investing in small business growth in BIPOC communities

In 2021, Starbucks created a $100M Community Resilience Fund that is designed to support small business growth and community development projects in BIPOC communities. The initial investments are focused on 12 U.S. metropolitan areas and surrounding regions: Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

“This partnership with Starbucks will make a long-lasting positive impact in our communities ensuring that more business owners than ever have access to what they need to succeed and attain financial stability.” – Gustavo Lasala, Chief Executive Officer, PeopleFund

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Learn more about the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/starbucks-selects-seven-local-lenders-for-first-round-of-community-resilience-fund/">Starbucks Community Resilience Fund</a> here.

Increasing the diversity of Starbucks suppliers

Within its own supply chain, Starbucks has expanded goals to spend $1.5 billion annually with diverse suppliers by 2030.

Learn more about how to become a supplier for Starbucks <a href="https://www.starbucks.com/business/supplier-diversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

Advancing equity for BIPOC communities

In 2020, The Starbucks Foundation <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/our-commitment-to-inclusion-diversity-and-equity-at-starbucks/">committed to invest $5 million in nonprofits</a> that serve Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) youth. The first group of nonprofit grant recipients included Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of America, City Year, Junior Achievement USA and The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR). As of this winter, The Starbucks Foundation has allocated more than $5 million across these organizations. Grants have reached 100,000 young people since 2020. Read more <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2021/the-starbucks-foundation-announces-nonprofit-recipients-of-grants-to-support-bipoc-youth/">here</a>.

Supporting Black-led nonprofits and nonprofits serving Black and Indigenous communities

In 2020, The Starbucks Foundation distributed 400+ Neighborhood Grants to nonprofit organizations focused on supporting organizations that are Black-led and/or serve Black and Indigenous communities. These groups are dedicated to promoting economic mobility and opportunity, health and social services and youth.

“The more opportunities we can give young people to use their voice, the more opportunity we have to connect with them on other topics.” — Jasiri, 1Hood staff and Neighborhood Grant recipient

As part of this Neighborhood Grants round, The Starbucks Foundation invited experts from the philanthropic, nonprofit and civil rights sectors to help inform the identification and selection process of the nonprofit organizations.

We will continue to lend our voice to our communities through advocacy and partnership.

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Our commitments to our communities

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Nearly a year into his role, Starbucks global chief inclusion &amp; diversity officer talks about the company’s bold hiring goals, including at least 30 percent BIPOC representation at all corporate levels and 40 percent in retail by 2025, how his upbringing informed who he is today and what it takes to create a place where people truly feel welcome.

Her name was Mrs. Judy Brockman, but everyone called her Mama Judy.

To understand the mission and passion of her son, Dennis Brockman, the global chief inclusion &amp; diversity officer at Starbucks, you have to first know about Mama Judy. You’ll find her at the center of it all.

“She taught me all the things that lead me into this space now. I saw her fighting for the rights of all. She wanted to make sure that everyone had a fair opportunity. She taught us to make sure that we treat everyone with respect and dignity, regardless of who they were,” said Brockman, a senior vice president. “I know she struggled but I didn’t feel it because of the love she showed us.”

Mama Judy raised seven children on her own after his dad left the family. Brockman, her youngest child, said he used to feel shame about not knowing his dad, but long ago his pride and admiration for his mother eclipsed that. You see, Mama Judy’s love and definition of family wasn’t bound by blood relations. She extended it to all who needed her – the children at the daycare she ran, their parents who couldn’t always afford to pay her on time, the young people who she took in who didn’t have anywhere else to go, those at the church she attended for decades. When she died at age 82 in January 2020, hundreds of people, including civic leaders, lawyers and PhDs who she’d mentored or supported when they were young, fought through a snowstorm in Kansas City, Kansas to attend her funeral.&nbsp;

Every day of her life, “I saw her demonstrate love,” Brockman said. And today, her passion for the power of mentorship, encouragement and accountability flows through him, fueling the work he does.

This March will mark a year since Brockman took the helm of leading inclusion &amp; diversity at Starbucks as a senior vice president. His role is a huge one, even without the political and social chasms that have formed in America, dividing people on topics like vaccines and masks. Even without civil unrest and the spike in hate crimes against people of color. Even without an ongoing pandemic that, so far, has killed more than 5 million around the world and disproportionally affects people of color.

In the midst of all of that, Brockman paused recently for a series of interviews from his Seattle home, where he and his wife moved from Chicago in July, to share his thoughts on where the company has been, where it is now and where it still needs to go. In the end, he chooses to focus, like Mama Judy always did, on what’s possible.

“There’s a quote about life being 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it,” he said. “I choose optimism and hope.”

More than 400,000 green apron partners are employed at Starbucks locations around the globe. I&amp;D work applies to all of them. &nbsp;

It could be tempting, or maybe simpler, to focus on the diversity numbers or the hiring metrics at a company of Starbucks scale. But Brockman wants to reach far beyond representation to something deeper – he wants all partners, everywhere, to feel like they belong.

“Diversity is about who or what is represented. Inclusion is an environment where people feel valued for all they bring – and that leads to belonging,” he said.

Starbucks does track numbers and statistics, of course, and releases them every year.

The U.S. partner base at Starbucks is currently 47 percent Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). But, as with many companies, the higher the job title, the more the BIPOC representation thins. <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/workforce-diversity-at-starbucks/">According to an analysis</a> published in October of 2020, 18.5 percent of all corporate senior vice presidents and above at Starbucks were BIPOC. Brockman and Kevin Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Starbucks, want those numbers to be higher.

Last year, Starbucks made a commitment to have BIPOC representation comprise at least 30 percent at all corporate levels and at least 40 percent of all retail and manufacturing roles by 2025.

“We need to have representation at every level,” Brockman said.

While progress in some areas has been modest, 50 percent of the Starbucks senior vice presidents hired in the last year are BIPOC, he noted. And it’s not just about hiring more BIPOC partners, but also about retention and lifting them up and developing them in their careers.

Brockman and his team have championed a number of programs designed to do that – in short to help them see through actions, not just words, that they truly belong. &nbsp;

In a recent letter to Starbucks partners, Brockman shared some of the new programs and 2022 commitments to partners and the communities the company serves, including:

There’s a lot to be done, and I&amp;D work can be heavy and exhausting. It often means staring down racism and discrimination every day. The average tenure of chief D&amp;I officers in 2021 was 1.8 years, down from 3.1 years in 2018, <a href="https://www.russellreynolds.com/en/insights/articles/positioning-chief-diversity-officer-top-performance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to research by Russell Reynolds Associates</a>.

Brockman meets regularly meets with chief D&amp;I officers at other companies who help support each other in this work – and he knows that not all corporations are actually open to real change.

The desire and commitment to I&amp;D has to be real, he said. What sets Starbucks apart is the work not only has support from the top – Johnson and the Starbucks Board of Directors – but Brockman has also been given the resources needed, he said. The team has tripled in size to nearly 30 partners during the time Brockman has been at the helm.

“It’s setting up the organization to really ensure that we have the knowledge, the ability, the skill set to scale this work,” he said.

Whether companies want to or not, they have to evolve, he said, adding that not only is it the right thing to do, but investors are requiring it and partners and customers are saying it’s one of the things driving their choices of where to spend their dollars.

“If companies are not doing the work today, in this space, I truly believe that those companies will not be in existence 20 years from now because they will not have the talent,” he said. “When my kids, my grandkids and the people I’m mentoring are asking me for advice on where they should go to work, I’m going to say, don’t take your talent to a company who wants it because they need (I&amp;D numbers). I want you to reward your talent to the companies who are really doing this work.”

There’s a YouTube video of Brockman speaking to a group of young people at The Chicago Urban League a few years ago. He’s quoting from memory “Be the Best of Whatever You Are,” a poem by Douglas Malloch that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. included in one of his speeches.

“… &nbsp;If you can’t be a highway, then just be a trail. If you can’t be the sun, be a star; It isn’t by size that you win or fail – Be the best of whatever you are,” Brockman encouraged the group.

No matter how busy he is, Brockman has always made time to mentor others. His pastor used to tell him, “I’d rather see a sermon any day than hear one.” Those are words he lives by.

He speaks often to young people and those early in their careers, sharing the principles his mom instilled in him from a very young age. He recalls how when he was 15, she made him wear a tie to his interview for a job at a fast-food restaurant, and “taught me the principles of working my butt off. When you go to work, you go to work. You don’t go to play.”

One reason Brockman is so passionate about mentoring and lifting people up is because of the impact on his own life. While he grew up without a father in a neighborhood with high crime rates, he said he always could rely on the adults around him. “The core of who I am is because of those individuals – my mother, my grandparents, my pastor, my community, my church and my school,” he said. “My mom always told me, you never know what people might be capable of if they are given a chance.”

The mentorship he received extended to his professional life – and its lessons are things that help inform the Starbucks mentorship program, which launched last year, pairing nearly 40 partners at the director level with senior leaders for regular meetings both one-on-one and in group settings.

While many companies may have professional mentorship program, the Starbucks one is designed to be unique. Senior leaders are not only expected to participate, but their pay is tied to it. At the conclusion, their mentee fills out a survey and the mentor has to be given a rating of at least three out of five to be considered to have successfully completed it. “We’ve never had that kind of accountability before,” Brockman said.

The first year of the Starbucks mentorship program helped prove that it can get to the deeper level Brockman is reaching for – making people feel like they belong. No mentors canceled even one session, he said, because they found it so valuable. At the start of the program, 92 percent of the mentees said they felt a sense of belonging at Starbucks, but by the end that number had risen to 100 percent, he said. The goal is that the program will not only help mentees be ready for the next steps in their careers, but that they will chose to stay at Starbucks and the company will retain their talent. &nbsp;

The Starbucks mentorship program is a two-way opportunity for learning, he said. Mentors are given a view into the lived experiences of the BIPOC person they are paired with.

“It was kind of reverse mentoring for both,” he said. “One of the senior leaders (who was a mentor) told me, I didn’t realize how much I didn’t understand the experience of a BIPOC partner here at Starbucks. It opened up conversations.”&nbsp;

Corporations like to talk about hiring people who are “culture fits.” But that also is a place where microaggressions and bias can manifest, Brockman says, whether it’s implying that someone needs to change their hairstyle or their personality to conform and be successful.

“There shouldn’t have to be any code switching. When I bring my full self to work, you get the best of me. I don’t want a culture fit. I want people to be a culture add.”

Owning mistakes and growing

Many of Starbucks I&amp;D commitments and programs today have their roots in what was one of Starbucks most agonizing days. It also would go on to be a catalyst for change in the company and how it would move forward.

On April 12, 2018, two Black entrepreneurs were sitting in a Philadelphia Starbucks waiting for a business meeting to begin when they were arrested after the store manager called the police on them for being in the store and not ordering anything.

Brockman, a 14-year partner who was a regional vice president for the Midwest region of Starbucks at the time, heard about it when a video of the incident went viral. “I thought, ‘How could that happen in a Starbucks store?’ I really did. And I questioned the company.”

In the days after, Johnson, Starbucks ceo, publicly apologized, calling the incident “reprehensible” and vowed to work for change in the company. It was one store – but it was also reflective of the bias – conscious or unconscious – that impacts people of color all across the country.

“We owned it,” Brockman said. “And, importantly, we said that we’re going to do everything we can to ensure this never happens in a Starbucks store again.”

Philadelphia led to some deep soul searching. A month later, the company <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/beyond-may-29-lessons-from-starbucks-anti-bias-training-and-whats-next/">closed all company-owned stores in the United States</a> for an afternoon of anti-bias training. Starbucks partnered with Arizona State University to develop <a href="https://starbucksglobalacademy.com/to-be-welcoming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">To Be Welcoming,</a> a 15-course anti-bias curriculum, available for partners and customers for free. Starbucks began publishing an annual <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/civil-rights-assessments/">Civil Rights Assessment</a> of the company, done under the leadership of former United States Attorney General Eric Holder,&nbsp;and his law firm, Covington &amp; Burling LLP.

It also led, ultimately, to the creation of the chief I&amp;D role held by Brockman. Brockman reports directly to Johnson. “It shows true commitment,” Brockman said. “It’s not for show.”

Johnson said he knows that Brockman is the right person to lead the work that needs to be done.

“I wanted a leader for Inclusion &amp; Diversity who was grounded in our mission, lived our values and had the courage to challenge the status quo,” said Johnson. “Dennis embodies that kind of leader. I have known Dennis for years and he is someone I admire and trust. He is someone who will always do to the right thing.&nbsp; And he is someone who looks at the world filled with optimism and, as a result, is able to make change gracefully and help us all learn and grow. He is the right I&amp;D leader for Starbucks at this moment.”

The two men speak often and don’t shirk from difficult topics. The day that the verdict in the Ahmaud Arbery trial came down, finding all three accused men guilty of his murder, Johnson called him to check in.

“I shared my honest feelings. I said, ‘Well, this is the verdict but it’s not justice. Justice will be when an African American man could jog in any neighborhood and make it home safe,’” he said. “I’m thankful that Kevin called me and gave me the space and said, hey, how are you feeling about this?”

Starbucks regularly holds virtual “Courageous Conversations” with partners to talk about hard topics, such as the murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

“We need to be comfortable being uncomfortable,” Brockman said. Part of that means acknowledging the realities BIPOC people face daily, such as having to be on guard every time they leave their homes.

It happened to him recently when he was with his 26-year-old son, D.J., at a sports event. They had tickets to a suite, but when they got on the elevator to head to that floor, a group of white people insisted they must have made a mistake and belonged in the general seating area. When they did finally reach the floor where the suites are, they were stopped by seven different security people asking if they were lost. “I thought maybe they are doing that to everyone and so I was watching and, no, I saw not one single white person was asked to show their ticket.”

He’s planning to share that feedback with the sports organization and recently used it as an example for other senior leaders of Starbucks as an example of why the I&amp;D work is so important and why bias has to be addressed.

“We have to hold ourselves, and hold each other accountable,” he said. Around the country, I&amp;D leaders “have a responsibility to make sure that we are speaking out and speaking up – speaking for everyone in the organization in every single part of the organization. It takes courage and you have to have some courageous conversations with executive leaders at times, but this is our moment and in this moment, we will create a movement.”

‘Inclusion doesn’t mean exclusion’

Pain can take on many forms – being excluded, being ignored, being targeted or profiled, being underestimated, mental health struggles, and, of course, physical pain.

Brockman’s work is focused on making the world better for others – making it more of a just and fair place. But some pain, even he can’t do anything about. He and his wife of 28 years, Evonna, have two children who were both born with Sickle Cell Disease, a genetic red blood cell disorder. One of the hallmarks of it is that it can cause pain so severe that the patient has to be hospitalized. He remembers having to step outside the hospital room sometimes so his child wouldn’t see him cry – and then he’d bolster himself and go back in.

Being truly present with someone in their pain, even when you can’t fix it, is its own kind of courage. &nbsp;

Today, their son, D.J., is a 26-old music engineer who owns his own studio. Their daughter, DeVonna, 20, is studying film at college. “They have this attitude that nothing is going to stop them,” he says. “They have such passion for life.”

He and Evonna always wanted them to feel like they could do anything in life. They’ve always been there to advocate for their kids. Not everyone has that.

When people think about I&amp;D work, they often think of people who are BIPOC, but it also includes people with disabilities, LGBTQIA partners – and everyone, Brockman stresses. There are <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-partner-networks-help-create-a-culture-of-belonging/">12 partner networks</a> (business resource groups) that are partner led. All partners are welcome to join any of the groups, as a member of that community or as an ally.

“Something I say a lot, that’s important to understand, is that inclusion does not mean exclusion,” Brockman said. “This work is not only about our BIPOC partners. This work is about how we want every partner to have an opportunity to be included in this organization. We want that for every customer and every community.”

‘We’ll make a difference in this world’

Brockman’s smile brightens when he thinks about one of the best days of his life – the day he was able to buy his mom her own home. It was open and bright, with big windows that looked out onto her yard. From her window, she could see across the street, where a longtime friend from church lived. Another friend lived next door. For her, Mama Judy, home had never been just a place to live, but a place to belong and help others feel they did too.

“She loved to entertain so every time I called her, I was like ‘OK, whose over there now?’ Someone was always at the house,” he said. During her life, “she didn’t have much financially, but the love that she gave ….”

That love helped others feel like they could do anything. And in turn, those people could be there for others. While Mama Judy died two years ago, at home surrounded by love, the ripples of her life go on through Brockman and, in turn, to Starbucks partners and, ultimately to customers.

If Starbucks partners feel like they belong, they’ll help make sure customers do too, Brockman believes. “It’s the little things, like writing a customer’s name on a cup,” he said. “… We’ll make a difference in this world. We’ll be the company that shows what’s possible.”

Dennis Brockman in striped sweater smiling, holding a coffee cup

Starbucks global chief inclusion & diversity officer talks what it takes to create a place where people truly feel welcome. 

‘I want people to feel like they belong’: Starbucks I&D chief Dennis Brockman focuses on ultimate goal

‘I want people to feel like they belong’: Starbucks I&amp;D chief Dennis Brockman focuses on ultimate goal

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In a letter to U.S. partners, Starbucks ceo Kevin Johnson reflects on the jury verdict in the murder trial of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin and Starbucks recommitment to the hard work ahead.

The murder of George Floyd is tragic, painful and heartbreaking. Today’s jury verdict in the murder trial of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin will not soothe the intense grief, fatigue and frustration so many of our Black and African American partners are feeling. Let me say clearly to you: We see you. We hear you. And you are not alone. Your Starbucks family hurts with you.

And while today’s verdict is a step forward in accountability, until we confront the ugly realities and root causes of what led us to this day, our people, our nation, will always fall short of their full potential. We know there is so much more work to do to address systemic racism in our society and create the change needed to ensure everyone has an equal chance to succeed and thrive.

This is an important time for us to be here for one another, to share perspectives, to listen to each other, and to commit ourselves to a more equitable tomorrow. We cannot sit on the sidelines as individuals nor as a company.

At Starbucks, we will continue to advance our work by focusing on greater inclusion, diversity and equity as partners, investing in the communities we serve, and partnering with community organizations to help ensure Starbucks remains a welcoming place for all.

We’re going to call a Partner Open Forum this week. We want to create space to honor the life of and acknowledge the injustice to George Floyd. An injustice too familiar to too many. We will be here for our partners in the Twin Cities and for each and every BIPOC Starbucks partner as we try to understand the systemic wrongs that lead to inequality.

We are 400,000 partners in 33,000 communities. We have the power to make a positive difference.

Today's verdict and recommitting to the hard work ahead - Starbucks Stories

Today&#8217;s verdict and recommitting to the hard work ahead

In a letter to U.S. partners, Starbucks ceo Kevin Johnson reflects on the jury verdict in the murder trial of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin and Starbucks recommitment to the hard work ahead.

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Today's verdict and recommitting to the hard work ahead

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Today’s verdict and recommitting to the hard work ahead

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.

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:

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;

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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https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2021/our-third-civil-rights-assessment/

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.

https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2021/03/SBX20200324-CRA-FeatureHorizontal-1024x498.jpg

In a letter to partners, ceo Kevin Johnson announced the appointment of Dennis Brockman as the company’s global chief inclusion and diversity officer. Brockman, who is a 13-year partner, will be responsible for the company’s global I&amp;D strategy, building a culture of I&amp;D leadership excellence and accountability.

As you know, we have been engaged in a daily dialogue over issues of race, inclusion, equity, and opportunity.&nbsp; And on any given day we are reminded of the considerable work we have yet to do as a society—and as a company— in the fight for inclusion and equality. Today, for example, we’re witnessing increasing numbers of racist acts and deplorable, heart-breaking hate against the Asian American Pacific Islander community. This weekend we will remember the anniversary of the assaults on civil rights marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, and reflect upon how far we’ve come and how little has changed in 56 years.

For all of us at Starbucks, each day we must 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 have committed to do so with intention, with transparency, and with accountability.

Against that backdrop, and in line with our enduring commitment to inclusion and diversity, it is my great pleasure to share with you that Dennis Brockman&nbsp;has accepted the responsibility as Starbucks chief inclusion &amp; diversity officer, along with the well-earned&nbsp;promotion to senior vice president.

So many of you know Dennis and understand why he is the right person for this role and our efforts to meet these historic challenges. He’s been a partner, a leader, and a mentor on the retail side of our business for 13 years, most recently as the Midwest regional vice president. He has an unparalleled understanding of Starbucks culture, a deep connection to our partners, and a vision for advancing inclusion, diversity, and equity throughout our company at all levels.&nbsp; Dennis took on the chief inclusion and diversity officer role on an interim basis in December of last year, and in that time Angela Lis and I have had the great opportunity to get even closer to the I&amp;D team and assess the leadership structure and talent we need to deliver on our <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/our-commitment-to-inclusion-diversity-and-equity-at-starbucks/">critical commitments and goals</a>.

Dennis will continue to report to me and serve on the U.S. leadership team and will be responsible for continuing our overall global I&amp;D strategy, building a culture of I&amp;D leadership excellence and accountability, developing I&amp;D ambassadors throughout the organization globally, fostering mentorship and other professional development, and amplifying and operationalizing I&amp;D within the U.S. business.

Dennis, this promotion is so well deserved. Know that partners around the world are cheering you on as we continue our journey forward together to be a more inclusive, diverse and equitable company. I look forward to strengthening our partnership.

Congratulations as well to Michael Hines for his well-deserved promotion to vice president, Inclusion &amp; Diversity.&nbsp; Michael joined the I&amp;D team during a critical time this past August and quickly rose to great challenges, bringing over 25 years of progressive, strategic and operational HR experience and deep subject matter expertise in I&amp;D compliance and analytics at a time during which we were making bold commitments for our future at Starbucks. In his new role, Michael will be responsible for leading the new I&amp;D centers of excellence around compliance, analytics, policy, learning and development intended to further strengthen I&amp;D throughout Starbucks.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Please help me in congratulating Dennis and Michael on their promotions and supporting them in the work ahead.&nbsp; We look forward to sharing more with you soon on the progress we are making, the ongoing partner I&amp;D and Partner Network programming, as well as our annual Civil Rights Assessment that will be published later this month.

Reflecting on Rep. John Lewis and other young civil rights advocates walking across that bridge in Alabama, I am reminded of his profound wisdom, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13622279-across-that-bridge">and words</a>: “Take a long, hard look down the road you will have to travel once you have made a commitment to work for change. Know that this transformation will not happen right away. Change often takes time. It rarely happens all at once…”

Let love be our guide. That is our journey.&nbsp; And our only way forward is together.

Starbucks Appoints Dennis Brockman as Global Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer - Starbucks Stories

Starbucks Appoints Dennis Brockman as Global Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer

In a letter to partners, ceo Kevin Johnson announced the appointment of Dennis Brockman as the company’s chief inclusion and diversity officer.

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https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2021/starbucks-appoints-dennis-brockman-as-global-chief-inclusion-and-diversity-officer/

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