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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
9.08.2005 ET
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CSR News from:
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Starbucks Makes Initial $5 Million, Five-Year Commitment to Long-Term Relief and Recovery Efforts for Victims of Hurricane Katrina
First $1 Million to Go to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund
(CSRwire) SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 8, 2005--
Company Has Donated Ground Coffee, Ethos(TM) Water and Bottled
Tazo(R) Tea; Schultz Family Foundation Gives an Additional $1 Million
Contribution
As part of its long-term commitment to aid the relief and recovery
efforts following Hurricane Katrina, Starbucks Coffee Company
(Nasdaq:SBUX) today announced an initial commitment of $5 million over
five years to impacted U.S. Gulf Coast communities. The Company has
designated the American Red Cross as the recipient of Starbucks initial $1
million contribution. Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, also announced
that the Schultz Family Foundation is contributing $1 million for
immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts, with $500,000 designated
to the American Red Cross and $500,000 to Mercy Corps.
Starbucks is taking a comprehensive approach to support both the
immediate relief and long-term rebuilding efforts in the affected areas.
In addition to its financial commitment, Starbucks is working closely with
the American Red Cross relief effort, as well as Emergency Operations
Centers and Federal Emergency Management Agency in the impacted areas. To
date, the Company has donated more than 30,000 pounds of ground coffee;
235,000 bottles of Ethos(TM) Water; and 9,600 bottled Tazo(R) drinks to
support them in their endeavors.
Many of Starbucks partners (employees) are also volunteering their time
to deliver brewed coffee, pastries, bottled water and ground coffee to
police and fire rescue personnel, local emergency service providers and
utility workers who are working in the affected areas. By doing so,
partners are also able to generate monetary contributions from the Company
to nonprofit organizations where they volunteer through the Make Your Mark
program.
Make Your Mark is a program that encourages partners, friends, families,
and customers to volunteer in communities, and rewards the efforts by
providing cash contribution from Starbucks to eligible 501(c) (3)
organizations. Additionally, the Company will match partner contributions
up to $1,000 per calendar year to eligible 501(c)(3)organizations in the
United States or Registered Charities in Canada through Starbucks matching
program, Choose to Give!
"We are deeply saddened by the tremendous loss of life and devastation
caused by Hurricane Katrina," said Schultz. "Starbucks has a long
tradition of striving to bring together people and communities where we do
business. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and
many others impacted by this natural disaster; our prayers and thoughts
are with all the families who have lost loved ones."
Schultz continued, "I feel a personal connection to each of our several
hundred Starbucks partners and family members, as well as the community of
neighbors they serve, who are victims of this disaster.
Today, I am announcing a $1 million personal contribution from my family
foundation to support the relief efforts."
Starbucks is also providing financial support to its affected partners
through the CUP Fund - Caring Unites Partners. The CUP Fund helps partners
cope with the effects of natural disasters or other catastrophes with cash
grants. The Company has made a special contribution to the existing CUP
Fund to help its partners and their families rebuild their lives. While in
the normal course of business these grants are limited to $1,000, because
of the enormous magnitude of this event, affected partners will be
eligible to receive grants of more than $1,000 based on their needs and
situation, and the Company is expediting requests for immediate
assistance.
Starbucks is also actively working on sourcing and providing temporary
housing, reaching out with its Employee Assistance Program to offer
emotional support, and granting an initial payout in the amount of $500 to
those who have not already received other CUP Fund grants.
Additionally, Starbucks is extending impacted partners' benefits, pay and
other emergency assistance during these extraordinary circumstances.
Displaced partners are working shifts in other stores when appropriate,
and the Company is continuing to work closely with partners who have been
impacted to help find solutions to their needs.
Finally, Starbucks has implemented a way for customers to make donations
at the register to the Emergency Relief Fund, which will benefit the
American Red Cross, at Starbucks North America Company-operated stores and
Seattle's Best Coffee company-operated cafes.
About Starbucks Coffee Company
Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of
specialty coffee in the world, with more than 9,500 retail locations in
North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim.
The Company is committed to offering the highest quality coffee and the
Starbucks Experience while conducting its business in ways that produce
social, environmental and economic benefits for communities in which it
does business. In addition to its retail operations, the Company produces
and sells bottled Frappuccino(R) coffee drinks, Starbucks DoubleShot(R)
espresso drink, and a line of superpremium ice creams through its joint
venture partnerships. The Company's brand portfolio provides a wide
variety of consumer products--innovative superpremium Tazo(R) teas and
exceptional compact discs from Starbucks Hear Music(TM) enhance the
Starbucks Experience through best-of-class products. The Seattle's Best
Coffee(R) and Torrefazione Italia(R) coffee brands enable Starbucks to
appeal to a broader consumer base by offering an alternative variety of
coffee flavor profiles.
Copyright Business Wire 2005
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