Better Health for All

Starbucks demonstrates comprehensive support for mental health through various programs. The company operates a dedicated Community Store in Singapore that funds mental wellness workshops and provides self-care resources.

It donated $100,000 in gift cards and offered free veteran suicide prevention training. Starbucks has trained 198 managers in mental health and enhanced services for U.S. military personnel and their families through personalized workshops. , Additionally, it provides a Mental Health First Aid program for employees, including training modules, and connects U.S. employees to therapists or coaches. , In healthcare education, the company offered free veteran suicide prevention training and trained 198 managers in mental health. , Regarding health externalities, Starbucks invested over $3.1 million in California dairy farms to reduce methane emissions and improve soil health, contributing to public health by reducing environmental impact. The company's operations do not directly involve health-related products or services requiring price accessibility, healthcare workforce development, health data management, pharmaceutical patents, or clinical trials.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Starbucks Corporation is a coffeehouse company, not a financial institution. Therefore, most KPIs related to lending, deposit services, or financial products are not applicable. In January 2021, Starbucks announced a $100 million investment to launch the Starbucks Community Resilience Fund, which aims to support small businesses and community development projects in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) neighborhoods.

However, the articles do not provide Starbucks' annual pre-tax profit to calculate the percentage of profit reinvested, leading to the omission of that KPI. The Starbucks Foundation also awarded grants in April 2023 for causes including economic opportunity, and a Youth Leadership Program in South Korea offers curricula focused on business acumen, but these do not provide specific metrics for financial literacy reach or outcomes.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

In 2024, Starbucks' CEO compensation was 6,666 times the median employee pay.

Approximately 3.6% of Starbucks partners in U.S. company-operated stores were represented by unions as of October 2023. The company maintains 100% pay equity in the U.S. for women and men and people of all races for partners performing similar work. However, Starbucks has faced significant labor issues, including at least nine substantiated labor-law violations in the past three years (2023-2025). These include an NLRB ruling in 2025 that Starbucks unlawfully fired four employees for union activity. Violation Tracker records show multiple wage & hour, labor relations, and safety-related violations with associated penalties between 2023 and 2025. The NLRB has issued multiple rulings finding that Starbucks violated federal labor law in its efforts to stop unions from forming, and an NLRB judge cited “egregious and widespread misconduct” in dealings with unionizing employees.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Within the last three years, there have been multiple reports of labor abuses in Starbucks' supply chain. In 2022, 17 workers were rescued from poor conditions on a Brazilian coffee farm supplying the company

. An investigation in 2023 uncovered slave and child labor on certified coffee farms in Minas Gerais within its supply chain . A lawsuit was filed in 2025, alleging coffee was sourced from a cooperative linked to forced labor . As of 2023, approximately 30% of Starbucks' coffee is Fairtrade certified . The company uses its C.A.F.E. Practices program, established in 2004, which includes third-party audits for ethical sourcing compliance . Starbucks also has a responsible cocoa sourcing approach, which involves purchasing Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa and aims to eliminate child labor and deforestation .

Honest & Fair Business

Starbucks faces multiple lawsuits filed in 2024 and 2025 alleging deceptive ethical sourcing claims

, , . These lawsuits assert the company purchased coffee from farms implicated in forced labor, human rights abuses, child labor, and human trafficking . Starbucks denies these allegations, stating the claims lack merit and emphasizing its commitment to ethical sourcing and high supplier standards, including the use of third-party verification through its C.A.F.E. Practices program for coffee , . In 2023, campaigners urged Starbucks to disclose cocoa sources due to concerns over transparency regarding deforestation and child labor risks . In March 2024, shareholders rejected a proposal to disclose human rights policies, particularly concerning the company's growth plans in China . Starbucks also announced plans in November 2023 to establish a new board committee to oversee environmental, partner, and community impact commitments .

Kind to Animals

Starbucks sources 100% cage-free eggs in North America and 99.9% in EMEA as of April 2023.

The company plans to expand enrollment in its Sustainable Dairy Program to 100% of its U.S. dairy supply chain by the end of the current fiscal year. This includes evaluation of animal care practices and a zero-tolerance policy for animal abuse. The Starbucks Dairy Standard (SDS), published in September 2024, mandates extensive animal welfare practices for dairy producers, including at least 120 days of pasture grazing per year with year-round outdoor access, enrichment for at least one age class, socialization for calves by 3 weeks of age, daily health monitoring, pain mitigation for all painful physical alterations, no routine antibiotics, no rBST, and specific animal-based welfare outcome measurements. Starbucks eliminated the routine use of medically important antibiotics in poultry in its U.S. company-operated stores in 2018 and committed to adopt Global Animal Partnership (GAP) standards for chicken by 2024. The company is also phasing out the excessive use of gestation stalls for sows by 2030.

No War, No Weapons

Starbucks publicly stated in July 2024 that it has never funded military operations globally and maintains non-involvement with military operations.

The company also provided over $3 million to World Central Kitchen for humanitarian efforts to deliver meals to families in Gaza. Additionally, since 2013, Starbucks has hired over 40,000 veterans and military spouses, with a commitment to hire 5,000 more each year, and plans to expand Military Family Stores to 250 by 2025.

Planet-Friendly Business

Starbucks powers 77% of its company-operated locations globally with renewable energy

, having achieved 100% renewable energy coverage for its U.S. company-operated stores since 2015 . The company is partnering on six community solar projects in Illinois to provide renewable electricity to 170 stores by 2025 , and its China Coffee Innovation Park generates 20% of its energy needs from solar panels .

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Starbucks has engaged in 3 formal partnerships with indigenous or local community groups, including collaborations with Tlingit artist Alison Bremner

, the Mi’Kmaw Native Friendship Centre , and Native-owned Eighth Generation . The partnership with Eighth Generation also involved 5 Coast Salish artists , bringing the total number of indigenous or minority-owned suppliers engaged to 6 . In November 2023, Starbucks faced criticism for a poster celebrating Native American Heritage Month , which featured a symbol similar to one from 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' , leading to accusations of cultural insensitivity . Starbucks responded by stating the similarities were unintentional and reiterated its commitment to Indigenous culture , which is considered a reactive response to a cultural incident.

Safe & Smart Tech

Starbucks faced legal action in 2024 under New York City's Biometric Identifier Information Law

, with claims that the company failed to provide proper notice regarding the collection of biometric data . While most claims against Starbucks were dismissed , a claim of unjust enrichment was allowed to proceed .

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Starbucks has implemented multiple waste reduction initiatives, including eliminating plastic straws globally by 2020, which aimed to remove over 1 billion straws annually.

It also redesigned cold cups in 2024, reducing plastic content by 10-20% and preventing 13.5 million pounds of plastic from landfills annually. The company has expanded reusable cup acceptance to all orders, including drive-thru and mobile, by early 2024, offering customer incentives. Starbucks invested $10 million in Circular Services in 2023 to reduce landfill waste and enhance recycling. Circular design principles are evident in testing compostable cups and lids in the U.S. and introducing biodegradable plant-based straws in Japan. Starbucks has set company-wide goals to cut waste by 50% by 2030 and to make all consumer-facing packaging 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2030.