Social Responsibility - Coffee Stories

Good Coffee, Doing Good

You may have noticed some new messages on our take out cups. These messages tell the story of our approach to buying coffee. Starbucks has always been committed to purchasing coffee in an ethical and socially responsible way. We spend more time in coffee growing regions than any other coffee company and we strive to understand what farmers need to sustain their livelihoods.

For every purchase, Starbucks seeks to apply the same principles – paying premium prices to help farmers make a profit, caring for social and environmental needs of coffee-growing regions and ensuring the long-term supply of high quality coffee.

What does this mean to coffee growing communities?

How Starbucks and farmers work together for great coffee

We encourage participation in C.A.F.E. Practices

(Coffee and farmer equity practices)

~ A set of independently verified, socially responsible coffee

buying guidelines that ensure the sustainable production

of high quality coffee by addressing social equity,

environmental sensitivity and economic transparency

throughout the supply chain.

~ In 2005, Starbucks received the Gold Medal Award from

the World Environment Centre, recognising the Company’s

leadership in the development of C.A.F.E Practices.

We pay premium prices

~ We pay premium prices to help coffee farmers make profits

and support their families.

~ In fiscal year 2006, Starbucks paid an average price of $1.42 per

pound, which was 37 percent above the average New York

commodity price. For comparison, the guaranteed Fairtrade

price is $1.26 per pound.

Black Apron Exclusives™

~ Starbucks Black Apron Exclusives™ coffees are rare coffees

meant for those who want to experience truly distinctive and

exotic flavours, unavailable anywhere else. Each of these

coffees tells a unique story about its origin, its flavour and the

extraordinary efforts required to bring it to you.

~ Starbucks pays tribute to the farmers of each Black Apron

Exclusives™ coffee with a cash award. $15,000 is paid to the

farmers of each Starbucks Black Apron Exclusives™ coffees,

helping fund projects that support their communities, the

environment and coffee sustainability

We purchase Certified and Conservation Coffee

We purchase Fairtrade certified coffees to promote responsible

environmental and economic efforts.

~ Starbucks is one of the largest purchasers of Fairtrade

certified coffee in the world, purchasing approximately

14% of the global supply. Around 6% of all of our coffee

is Fairtrade certified.

~ Our first relationship with the Fairtrade labelling organisation

began in April 2000. Every year since, we have significantly

increased our purchases of Fairtrade certified coffee.

~ Café Estima Blend™ Fairtrade is available as freshly

brewed filter coffee in every Starbucks store in the UK

and Ireland, everyday.

We collaborate with farmers through the Farmer Support Centre

~ Located in Costa Rica, our team of agronomy experts works

with coffee producers globally to provide technical support

and training that promotes high-quality, sustainable coffee

for the future.

~ We have also helped to empower Fairtrade producers

by providing them with the technical assistance needed

to improve the quality of their coffee.

Long term commitment to Coffee Communities

Between 2004 and 2006, Starbucks committed $8.5 million

in loans to non-profit organisations who make affordable credit

available to coffee farmers so that farmers can invest in their

farms and their success into the future.

We have also funded several non-profit organisations that provide

Fairtrade registered cooperatives with pre-harvest financing and,

in the last 2 years, Starbucks has funded $4.1 million in social

development projects in coffee growing communities which

involved nearly 100 projects and benefited 545,000 people.

We are proud of the longstanding relationships that we have

with coffee farmers in more than 27 countries and are committed

to purchasing our coffee in an ethical and sustainable manner

regardless of labels and certifications.

Starbucks will continue to work with non-governmental

organisations and other stakeholders to improve upon various

components of our approach. We are committed to our work

with other industry leaders in helping to strengthen coffee farms

for the future.

Thank you for taking time to find out more about Starbucks approach to sustainable coffee production. To discover more about

Starbucks commitment to Good Coffee, Doing Good please visit the farmers and families who grow the finest coffees in the world or Follow the bean’s journey from the coffee farm to the finest cup in coffeedom. You can also read our latest Corporate Social Responsibilty Report.

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