Starbucks' response to Empower, ProDESC and Coffee Watch's rejoinder
...We source from more than 450,000 farms that grow some of the highest quality Arabica coffee in the world. Our promise to farmers is that we will always work toward ensuring a more sustainable future of coffee for all, underscoring the decades-long commitment that we’ve made to coffee farmers and farming communities...
...The program allows Starbucks to gain insights into the challenges faced by farmers and supply chain operations in the more than 30 different coffee-producing countries around the world. In addition, when Starbucks is notified of zero tolerance violations, we take immediate action, conducting an investigation which could lead to suspending the commercial relationship with a farm until the case has been clarified. Based on our investigation, we may ask our supplier to work with a farm to address any issue including the development of a work plan describing how the issue will be corrected. The implementation of a corrective action plan and the actual correction of any zero tolerance criteria is then re-evaluated by an approved third-party verification organization.
The goal of this process is to ensure that infractions are addressed effectively. We believe that our continuous improvement approach is the right approach to promote positive change amongst these suppliers and farms to foster a positive future for everyone involved in coffee.
...For decades, Starbucks has committed to respecting human rights. In 2004, Starbucks joined the U.N. Global Compact — the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative that commits signatories to implement sustainability principles and support U.N. goals...
At our best, we promise to work toward ensuring a more sustainable future of coffee for all through a comprehensive approach that centers and respects our farming communities and the planet we share...