Drip Drip Drip….Starbucks brew rich CSR results

Coffee…..just where would be without it? Everyone has their own favourite method for making a great cup of coffee and if out and about we all have a preferred coffee shop to get our fill from. I must confess they don’t make a cup of coffee that appeals greatly to my taste buds, but when it comes to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Starbucks really take some beating. When I research different companies to evaluate their commitment to CSR its very interesting to see just how historic their approach is and also how far ranging. In both instances Starbucks seem to be aiming high and it makes me far more appreciative of the fact that there seems to be a location every few blocks in my town. That said, how about the option of ceramic cups at every location? (more on that below)

Starbucks have just published their 2009 Corporate Social Responsibility report a tradition they began in 2001. If you have time I’d encourage you to take the time to investigate just what they’ve been working on. It is a very ambitious, multi-layered and impactful approach taken by the coffee giant as they divulge their major accomplishments in eight (!) major arenas:

• Coffee Purchasing
• Farmer Loans
• Community
• Climate
• Recycling
• Energy
• Water
• Green Building

Being as large as Starbucks with over 16,600 locations globally, the direct impact of their initiatives can be measured as rather significant. Cynics might point out that every location should be carbon neutral and offer full recycling capacity but on the other hand I think it more positive to look at what the chain is accomplishing. For example over 81% of all beans purchased is from what they recognise as coffee farmers who practice fair trade, they also managed to double the bean purchase from fair trade farmers from 19 millions lbs in 2008 to 39 million lbs in 2009.

Community service is another area where the results are impressive, with over 220,000 hours per year given by Starbucks employees these last two years. Their goal for 2015 is over 1 million hours of community service, lofty but admirable. A commitment to creating coffee farms in sustainable regions that prevent deforestation has shown to be a huge success with new plantations in Mexico and Indonesia. A goal of reducing store energy and consumption 25% by 2015 is proving difficult but remains a challenge they seek to manage, year to year reports does show a decrease which in itself is positive news.

The two areas that many people see (and by people I mean customers) are two things you can determine on a visit to any Starbucks location. Although so many of the other initiatives listed above are taking place ‘behind the scenes’ some in the blogging community are critical for what they say Starbucks are failing to do. To each their own of course, but you cannot disregard so many broad accomplishments if you are evaluating a company fully. Recycling is the biggest concern, with cardboard cups the preferred method for so many the question remains how much of their product gets recycled? Starbucks do offer a discount for every individual who purchases coffee in a reusable coffee mug, if you purchase a stainless steel mug not only are you helping the environment but it will pay for itself if you purchase coffee most mornings. Stainless steel mugs are ideal for coffee on the go and take the worry out of recycling – our favourite brand is available here. Starbucks could also help matters by offering ceramic mugs for those customers who choose to drink in the store – that option is apparently under review by the company. Starbucks have targeted 25% of their coffee being sold in reusable containers by 2015, I hope that can be reached and ultimately why not 95%? On Earth Day they even offered a free coffee to anyone using a reusable container.

Also in question is when each location will actively offer facilities for recycling at the front end. In the US & Canada that option is being offered in 400 stores at present (out of 7500+) with a goal being that will be in place at all company owned locations by 2015. No matter how much you like their coffee, I must say I like their commitment to making a genuine difference. The full report is online now.