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We pursue goals for our partners, our communities, and our planet with intention, transparency, and accountability. We also have a deep commitment fulfilling the promises of key stakeholders – promises that when we are at our best, ensure mutual success for all. As a company, we continue to align our business performance with our environmental, social and governance (ESG) impact – acting with urgency and intention, guided by our unwavering commitment to excellence.

The way we hire, develop and advance our partners (employees) is fundamental to our commitment to inclusion, diversity, and equity at Starbucks. Each year, we publish our current workforce diversity data in a comprehensive and detailed manner, including our most recent filings with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. By doing so, we aim to create a culture of accountability, foster meaningful dialogue, and bring about positive change within our organization and beyond. Our commitment to regular progress updates remains steadfast as we continue our work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable Starbucks. We will continue to share our progress regularly.

Below you will find the gender, racial and ethnic composition of our Starbucks partners based in the United States. To better represent demographic patterns among Starbucks partners, we are presenting the data for the key functions of our U.S. business: partners who work in company-owned retail stores (Retail); roasting plants/distribution centers (Manufacturing); and support center roles including Marketing, Finance, etc. (Corporate).

As of October 1, 2023 Starbucks U.S. partner base is made up of 71.4% female and 28.3% male. Breaking down our representation further, our partners are 48.1% white, 31.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Black, 5.9% Asian, 4.9% Two or More Races, .6% American Indian or Alaskan Native and .5% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. The identification of these race and ethnicity categories are provided by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. And since 2018, we have consistently achieved 100 percent pay equity for partners of all genders and races in the U.S.

To promote transparency and open dialogue, Starbucks disclosed its EEO-1 data for the years 2016 through&nbsp;2023&nbsp;to-date, and we plan to disclose our Consolidated EEO-1 Report for&nbsp;2024&nbsp;effective upon our next submission to the EEOC in&nbsp;2025.

For a deeper understanding and breakdown of our diversity at Starbucks by job level, please explore the interactive data below.<a id="_msocom_1"></a>

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<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2024/02/2023-Starbucks-US-Workforce-Demographics.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here for 2023 data description</a>

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2023/04/2022-Starbucks-US-Workforce-Demographics.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here for 2022 data description</a>

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2022/01/2021-Starbucks-US-Workforce-Demographics.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here for 2021 data description</a>

<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2020/10/Starbucks-Workforce-Demographics-Data-Description-August-2020.pdf" target="_blank">Click here for 2020 data description</a>

Our previous EEO-1 reports can be downloaded here.

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2024/08/EEO-1-2023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2023 EEO–1 Report</a> <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2024/08/EEO1_2022_A253494_A253494_2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2022 EEO-1 Report</a> <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2023/03/SBX230321-EEO-1_2021_Consolidated-Report_2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2021 EEO-1 Report</a> <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2023/03/SBX230321-EEO-1_2020_Consolidated-Report_2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2020 EEO-1 Report</a> <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2022/01/SBX220111-EEO-1_2019_Consolidated-Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2019 EEO-1 Report</a> <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2020/10/SBUX20201008-2018-EEO-1-Consolidated-Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2018 EEO-1 Report</a> <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2020/10/SBUX20201008-2017-EEO-1-Consolidated-Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2017 EEO-1 Report</a> <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2020/10/SBUX20201008-2016-EEO-1-Consolidated-Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2016 EEO-1 Report</a>

The way we hire, develop and advance our partners (employees) is critical to our journey toward inclusion, diversity and equity at Starbucks.

Workforce Diversity at Starbucks

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Stories to inspire and nurture the human spirit

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As a people-focused company, Starbucks strives to recognize and celebrate all communities – including the LGBTQIA2+ community – year-round. With more than 400,000 partners and&nbsp;36,000&nbsp;stores around the globe, we know a person’s lived experience is unique to them and our moment to support and celebrate will also be unique to the communities we serve around the globe.&nbsp;&nbsp;

From inclusive healthcare in the United States and ongoing non-profit partnerships in Japan, to the “I AM” project in Starbucks Brazil that provides transgender partners and community members legal and emotional support to amend the name on their birth certificates, Starbucks is committed to building a culture where everyone is welcome.

Starbucks History of LGBTQIA2+ Inclusion

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In May, Starbucks announced that name and <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2024/strengthening-belonging-for-starbucks-lgbtqia2-partners/">gender marker change support</a> would be extended to partners, through the National Center for Transgender Equality, providing access to advisory services and reimbursement up to $500 for eligible costs associated with changes to state and United States federal identification.

In June, Starbucks joined the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/count-us-in-pledge" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Count Us In</a> pledge to continue to sand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA2+ community. HRC is the nation’s largest LGBTQIA2+ civil rights advocacy organization.

Advocating for Federal Recognition of Marriage Equality

In December 2022, the U.S. reached an important milestone when the&nbsp;Respect for Marriage Act&nbsp;was signed into law, reflecting broad support for same-sex and interracial marriages. Starbucks chief global public policy counsel Zulima Espinel shared Starbucks ongoing commitment to advance inclusion and equity for all in a&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/message-from-zulima-advancing-protections-for-marriage-equality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">letter to partners</a>.

In July, Starbucks joined more than 170 organizations and the <a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/human-rights-campaign-mobilizes-more-than-170-businesses-over-20-000-supporters-in-support-of-respect-for-marriage-act-senate-vote" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Human Rights Campaign</a> in urging the U.S. Senate to pass the Respect for Marriage Act. As we continue to stand up for our partners and their families, this statement reaffirms our support for marriage equality and our long history of advancing inclusion and equity for all.

Awarding grants for nonprofits

During our 2022 fiscal year, The Starbucks Foundation has provided more than 400 grants to non-profit organizations supporting LGBTQIA2+ communities, totaling more than $700,000. Many of these organizations, including Brave Trails —&nbsp;a nonprofit organization that is on a mission to build the next generation of LGBTQIA2+ leaders — were nominated by partners based on neighborhood&nbsp;partnerships they have developed in service of their local communities.

Supporting causes important to partners

Starbucks makes $50,000 donation to the <a href="https://transequality.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Center for Transgender Equality</a>, which advocates for policies that increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people.

Protecting the Rights of LGBTQIA2+ partners and communities&nbsp;&nbsp;

Starbucks joined over 170 companies and the Human Rights Campaign in an <a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/business-statement-on-anti-lgbtq-state-legislation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advocacy</a> statement to address and oppose policy actions or legislation that discriminate against the LGBTQIA2+ community. The statement reiterates our position that every person deserves consistent protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. &nbsp;

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Supporting vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community

Starbucks donates $50,000 to the <a href="https://www.lavenderrightsproject.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lavender Rights Project</a> to support providing low-cost legal services for transgender and queer low-income people and other marginalized communities in Washington state and $50,000 to the <a href="https://transequality.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Center for Transgender Equality</a> to increase understanding and acceptance of trans people across the United States.&nbsp;

Dennis Brockman named chief inclusion &amp; diversity officer

Starbucks appoints the Dennis Brockman as chief inclusion and diversity officer, now reporting directly to the company’s chief executive officer. Brockman, a 13-year partner, is dedicated to ensuring inclusive perspectives are represented at the company’s highest levels.

Recognition for workplace equality

Starbucks receives a 100 percent score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index based on corporate policies and practices for LGBTQ equality for the 11th year.

Awarding grants for local LGBTQ+ nonprofits

The Starbucks Foundation awards 88 grants during the calendar year to nonprofit organizations supporting LGBTQ+ communities, totaling more than $150,000. Many of these organizations were nominated by partners based on neighborhood partnerships they have developed in service of their local communities.

Donates a combined $100,000 to the Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Transgender Equality in honor of Pride Month to aid in their support for vulnerable members of the LGBTQ+ community due to the impacts of COVID-19. Awarding grants for local LGBTQ+ nonprofits

The Starbucks Foundation announces it has awarded 100 grants to nonprofit organizations supporting LGBTQ+ communities, totaling more than $300,000. Many of these organizations were nominated by partners based on neighborhood partnerships they have developed in service of their local communities.

Starbucks receives a 100 percent score on the <a href="https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/CEI-2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index</a> based on corporate policies and practices for LGBTQ+ equality for the tenth year.

#whatsyourname campaign

Starbucks UK launches <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2020/whatsyourname/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">#whatsyourname campaign</a> to celebrate the significant act for some transgender and gender diverse people as they use their new name in public. As part of this campaign, £100,000 was raised for the charity&nbsp;<a href="https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mermaids</a>&nbsp;to support a helpline for young trans people and their families. <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2020/whatsyourname/"> </a>

Amending names on transgender partners’ birth certificates&nbsp;

In support of Brazil’s National Trans Day of Visibility on January 29, Starbucks in Brazil, launched the <a href="https://historias.starbucks.com/en-es/press/2022/starbucks-launches-3rd-edition-of-i-am-project-on-brazils-national-trans-day-of-visibility/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">“I Am” (“Eu Sou”) annual project</a> to offer free legal support for transgender partners seeking to amend their names and genders on their birth certificates. With permission from participants, the emotional journey was <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DPw-WAnAgPQI&amp;data=04%7C01%7CRafael.Franco%40edelman.com%7C3714460c79754ef9f21908d9e76169ef%7Cb824bfb3918e43c2bb1cdcc1ba40a82b%7C0%7C0%7C637795227840437731%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=mqLd2es5xg2hJQ%2FXEjSEObrjPAknrKkIZjClBNYHkv0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">documented</a> and the video won the Grand Prix at the 2021 Cannes Lions Festival and an Effie Award.&nbsp;

Building a culture of inclusion and diversity

Starbucks appoints the company’s first chief inclusion and diversity officer, responsible for the company’s global inclusion and diversity strategy.

Helping partners expand their families

Expands <a href="https://www.starbucks.com/careers/working-at-starbucks/benefits-and-perks">fertility benefits beyond adoption expenses</a> in an effort to assist partners whose needs may not be met by their health care insurance company, such as same-gender couples looking to become parents or individuals seeking fertility services. The Family Expansion Reimbursement Program covers up to $10,000 for adoption, surrogacy or intrauterine insemination, up to a lifetime maximum of $30,000. The company also increases lifetime maximums for fertility benefits under all Starbucks medical plans to $25,000 for fertility services and $10,000 for prescription drugs.

In collaboration with Arizona State University, Starbucks releases its <a href="https://tobewelcoming.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">To Be Welcoming</a> curriculum with 15 free courses available to the public online designed to address bias through understanding the human experience, including the intersectional courses <a href="https://courses-sga.starbucksglobalacademy.com/courses/course-v1:ASU+TBW800+2019/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Welcoming Dialogue on Sexuality Bias</a> and <a href="https://courses-sga.starbucksglobalacademy.com/courses/course-v1:ASU+TBW600+2019/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Welcoming Dialogue on Gender Bias</a>.

Teaming up with Born This Way Foundation

Starbucks and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation come together to help make the world a more compassionate and welcoming place for the LGBTQ community. During Pride Month (June 1-30), The Starbucks Foundation is matching <a href="http://bornthisway.foundation/starbucks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">donations to Born This Way</a>, up to $250,000, to make a kinder, braver world.

New and current partners can now choose to self-identify with the company as LGBTQ – similar to other identifications, such as disability, refugee, veteran and military spouse. The option was the result of efforts by the Pride Alliance partner network to create another way to build upon the company’s commitment to the inclusion and diversity of all partners. 

Advocating for Civil Rights Protection

Starbucks joined over 200 companies to file a joint <a href="https://assets2.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/Title-seven-business-amicus-brief.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amicus brief</a> to the Supreme Court in support of LGBTQ rights. The landmark briefing argues that existing federal civil rights law should protect LGTBQ people from discrimination in contexts ranging from employment to housing, healthcare and education. To file the brief the company worked with prominent civil rights groups the Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, Out &amp; Equal, Out Leadership, and Freedom for All Americans.

Starbucks also joined the Human Rights Campaign’s <a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/business-coalition-for-equality" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Business Coalition</a> in support of the Equality Act, a bill that would protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in housing, the workplace, public accommodations, and other settings under federal law. The Equality Act has since passed in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Two decades after Starbucks partners marched in its first Pride Parade in Seattle, hundreds of Starbucks Pride Alliance partners, friends and family join Pride events in <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2018/hundreds-of-starbucks-partners-friends-and-family-join-the-pride-in-london/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">London</a> (above) and around the world.

Expanded benefits for transgender partners

Starbucks <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/they-are-lifesaving-starbucks-offers-expanded-benefits-for-trans-people/">broadens its health insurance options for transgender partners</a> to not only include gender reassignment surgery (which had been covered since 2013), but also a host of procedures that were previously considered cosmetic, such as breast reduction or augmentation surgery, facial feminization, hair transplants and more. “Starbucks is taking a stand and standing up for trans people and saying that our procedures aren’t just cosmetic – they are lifesaving. They’re affirming,” said Ron Crawford, vice president of benefits at Starbucks.

Supporting local LGBTQ+ communities in Brazil&nbsp;

Starting in 2018, Starbucks in Brazil has worked with local advocacy groups, such as Casa 1 (Sao Paulo) and Grupo Arco-Iris (Rio de Janeiro), among others, to support LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts through the donation of Starbucks product sales such as the Pride Frappuccino® and t-shirts, to help those in vulnerable situations due to their sexual orientation.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Starbucks Foundation&nbsp;contributes <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2016/a-message-from-starbucks-regarding-the-tragedy-in-orlando/">$50,000 to the&nbsp;OneOrlando Fund</a> to help people and families impacted by the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Fla.

Calling for equal treatment

Starbucks joins with more than 200 other business leaders to urge equal treatment for the LGBTQ community. Lucy Helm, then general counsel and now chief partner officer, shares a letter to partners underscoring <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2016/starbucks-commitment-to-inclusion/">Starbucks commitment to inclusion</a>. “From our very earliest days, we have strived to create a company and culture that treats everyone – partners and customers alike – with respect and dignity,” Helm wrote. “We will continue to champion these values and to stand for our partners, our customers and our communities.”

Starbucks earns 100 out of 100 for the first time on the 2015 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), an initiative administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation on corporate policies and practices as <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2017/human-rights-campaign-recognizes-starbucks-as-top-employer/">a top employer for LGBTQ workplace equality</a>.

In order to help partners in self-identification, Starbucks updates its technology systems to ensure that documentation in stores reflect a partner’s “known as” name or nickname that is consistent with their gender identity or expression. This is an especially meaningful move for transgender partners, who now see their preferred name each time they log in for a shift. 

Seattle Police Department&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/safe-place-program-at-starbucks/">Safe Place program</a>&nbsp;rolls out to Starbucks stores in Seattle, with special designation as secure places for victims of anti-LGBTQ-related crimes and harassment. More than 2,000 store partners receive SPD Safe Place training and window clings identify the 100 participating company-owned stores in the greater Seattle area.

Marriage equality becomes the law of the land in the United States thanks to the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/starbucks-applauds-supreme-courts-ruling-on-marriage-equality/">U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling</a>. Earlier in the year, Starbucks had signed on to The People’s Brief in favor of the decision.

Starbucks&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/pride-flag-flies-above-starbucks-headquarters/">flies the Pride flag atop its Seattle headquarters</a>&nbsp;for the first time. “Given our public stance on diversity and inclusion of all people, particularly on this issue, it makes sense to raise the flag in celebration,” said Lucy Helm, then-general counsel who is now chief partner officer for Starbucks. “Being open, inclusive and forward-thinking is at the core of what Starbucks is about.”

Starbucks chairman and chief executive officer Howard Schultz makes a vocal statement on diversity and equality during a spontaneous exchange at the 2013 Starbucks Annual Meeting of Shareholders. In response to a stockholder who voiced his view that the company had lost customers because of its support for marriage equality, Schultz said. “Not every decision is an economic decision. The lens in which we are making that decision is through the lens of our people.”

Expanding transgender partner support

Starbucks&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/transgender-partners-share-stories-of-unconditional-acceptance-at-starbucks/">supports transgender partners</a>&nbsp;by adding coverage of gender reassignment surgery to the company’s health benefits.

Promoting marriage equality

Starbucks files an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act. The year before, the company had joined with other Pacific Northwest employers in supporting marriage equality legislation in Washington state.

Starbucks <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2008/starbucks-joins-redtm-to-help-save-lives-in-africa/">joins (RED)™</a> to help invest in AIDS programs in Africa through the Global Fund.

Starbucks Pride partner affinity group officially becomes the Starbucks Pride Alliance Network.

Starbucks issues Workplace Gender Transition Guidelines to support partners who are transgender or considering transitioning to promote understanding of fair and equitable treatment of transgender and gender-diverse partners.

Starbucks includes a quote from author Armistead Maupin on its cups as part of its “The Way I See It” series, a collection of thoughts and expressions printed on the back of Starbucks cups to inspire conversation. 

Timeline: Starbucks history of LGBTQIA2+ inclusion - Starbucks Stories

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Timeline: Starbucks history of LGBTQIA2+ inclusion

For more than three decades, Starbucks has been committed to building a culture where all are welcome, standing as an ally stood as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community.

Timeline: Starbucks history of LGBTQ inclusion

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A letter to Starbucks partners from Dennis Brockman, chief global inclusion and diversity officer

We are committed to creating a safe, brave place where you are valued. That includes your right to self-identify in your own way and to be addressed by your preferred or chosen name and pronouns.

We unfortunately live in a time where our LGBTQIA2+ community continues to face hate and uncertainty. We know this is hurtful and may be weighing on many of you. I want you to know that we see you, and we stand with you.

In times like these, our responsibility to create welcoming environments feels more important than ever. It’s why we have <a href="https://s2.bl-1.com/h/dpVwd9mV?url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/starbucks-pride-a-long-legacy-of-lgbtq-inclusion/">stood up for our LGBTQIA2+ partners for more than 30 years</a> – from inclusive health coverage, to expanding voluntary self-identification for partners, to supporting organizations like Human Rights Campaign and National Center for Transgender Equality. And we continue to <a href="https://s2.bl-1.com/h/dpVwdF8X?url=https://www.hrc.org/resources/business-coalition-for-equality">advocate in support of the Equality Act</a> and <a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/business-statement-on-anti-lgbtq-state-legislation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oppose the discriminatory policies</a> and actions we’ve seen proposed in many states around the country.

I want to also be very honest in saying we haven’t always gotten this right – and we are committed to turning setbacks into opportunities that are meaningful to your partner experience – like launching pronoun pins across U.S. Retail this summer, expanding our self-ID options, and updating internal systems like Partner Central so they reflect partners’ preferred or chosen names and pronouns. And as we continue to make improvements, we will need your partnership and guidance when we fall short.

I invite you to join us. Here are some ways you can help make a difference:

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Additionally, as part of our ongoing efforts to create a brave space for partners to have candid discussions we will be bringing together a panel of partners and advocates engaged in the pursuit for social justice. Please join me in April for a Real Talk discussion on how we continue to support our LGBTQIA2+ partners and communities and ways you can get involved.

I know that the ongoing uncertainty can feel deeply personal, and it’s okay to need to talk to someone. All U.S. partners have access to mental health care options at <a href="https://s2.bl-1.com/h/dpVwfvLq?url=https://retailstarbucks1com-my.sharepoint.com/personal/badkins_starbucks_com/Documents/Microsoft%20Teams%20Chat%20Files/lyrahealth.com/starbucks">Lyra</a>. And remember, discrimination and harassment, including intentional misgendering, have no place at Starbucks. If you need support, please call Partner Relations.

Partners, we are in this together and we are committed to doing our part in caring for you and driving real change. Thank you for being part of the journey.

Dennis Brockman (he/him/his) svp, chief global inclusion and diversity officer

That includes your right to self-identify in your own way and to be addressed by your chosen name and pronoun.

Starbucks commitment to LGBTQIA2+: A safe third place where you are seen, heard and valued

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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.”

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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

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‘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 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:&nbsp;&nbsp;

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

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