#racetogether update

Starbucks: Talking about race is not enough

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz listened to hundreds of employees before embarking on #racetogether.

WOW. The vitriol and snarkiness that was directed at Starbucks for its #racetogether campaign was to be expected. Even though some of the critics made valid points, it's easier to tear down than to build up.

The coffee chain asked its "partners" to stop writing #racetogether on the coffee cups given to customers. The corporation said that phase was always intended to end. It was just the start of the conversation on race.

Sure, it was perhaps a little naive to think that 20-something baristas could discuss something as complicated and emotional as race relations in this country.

But the criticism heaped on the coffee giant was largely undeserved. This country desperately needs to talk about race. Civil rights leaders, social scientists, President Obama and most people of color agree that conversation needs to be had. But whenever someone starts to talk about race, our defenses go up and our cynicism rises to the top. That says a lot of where we are as a country. We can't raise our head above the crowd without someone trying to lop it off.

DISCLAIMER: I don't have any stock in Starbucks. I actually prefer a rival's product over Starbucks' coffee, but with 4,500 outlets in the U.S. alone, Starbucks sure is convenient. 

Watch and listen to the first 10 minutes of the video below taken at the Starbuck's 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

It's hard to view that without getting a lump in your throat.

In a letter to shareholders, CEO Howard Schultz said #racetogether will move into a new - probably more impactful - phase. He wrote:

"We have a number of planned Race Together activities in the weeks and months to come: more partner open forums, three more special sections co-produced with USA TODAY over the course of the next year, more open dialogue with police and community leaders in cities across our country, a continued focus on jobs and education for our nation's young people plus our commitment to hire 10,000 opportunity youth over the next three years, expanding our store footprint in urban communities across the country, and new partnerships to foster dialogue and empathy and help bridge the racial and ethnic divides within our society that have existed for so many years."

 

Cynics - hold your snide remarks. For communities that are struggling, 10,000 jobs is nothing to sneeze at. Starbucks is one of the more enlightened companies to work for. It has raised the minimum wage of its workers and through its benefits (including health care for part-timers), the firm offers scholarships for its workers. That action will hopefully offer a lot of opportunities for youth who need it.

Starbucks is going where most businesses fear to go. You have to give them credit: rather than ignore the issues of the day, it faces them head on. That's more than what I'd expect from most American businesses. It was even willing to take an economic hit when "partners" took a few minutes off their busy schedule to talk about race. Imagine that, a business willing to sacrifice a few dollars if it somehow moves a customer or employee to understand - or at least, seriously contemplate - race and all its ramifications. Here's another blog praising Starbucks. Sometimes, it doesn't mean you have to have an a-ha moment, but maybe raise your consciousness and then tuck it away as you finish your latte.

I know, I know. Sometimes you just want a cuppa joe. That's OK, I understand.

The unfortunate reality is, with the host of negative press that Starbucks received, other corporate bosses will surely hesitate to make such bold statements within their own companies. And that's too bad.

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