Starbucks: A View of their Values, Culture and Responsibility from the Inside

The Points of Light Corporate Service Council (CSC) spent a day and a half at Starbucks Corporate Support Center (headquarters) in Seattle as the location for its meeting.  Robust discussions took place between excellent speakers and the representatives of leading companies that were in attendance.  What struck me throughout our time at Starbucks is how values and culture permeate this historic building and throughout their operations globally.  The convening was hosted by CSC Chair and Starbucks President of the U.S. and the Americas, Cliff Burrows.  Cliff was an active participant with us for the two days.  He talked about Starbucks position in the community as the third place (or location) between home and work.  “A gathering place of people, a place when they show up they feel a connection.”  And of their employees (Partners) “it’s not what we do, it’s the permission we give… to do the right thing.”   “This is important as People influence people.  Society changes over time.”  Obviously coffee is central to what Starbucks does and who it is, in fact the coffee tasting room, where beans are sampled from all over the world by experts, is located adjacent to the executive suite as quality is critical and CEO Howard Schultz drops in regularly to discuss the coffee.  That hands on approach was evident everywhere including the half hour we were able to spend with Howard Schultz talking about his vision.  Not only his vision for Starbucks, but for America and the world.  He talked about the widening gap between the haves and the have nots and how Starbucks can use its scale for good and to speak out.  He says we have a crisis in confidence in leadership in DC as well as the State level.  “Thirty-nine States are on the verge of insolvency.  Something is fundamentally wrong.  We deserve better.”  “There is a lack of a sense of urgency by our leaders.”  It’s not social responsibility, it’s about shared value.  Our business is based on a balance of profitability and social conscious.”  He then talked about the challenges that Starbucks was facing at the start of the economic downturn in 2008.  He said that they had to make some difficult business decisions, but it was “our values and the fabric of those values, that held us together during challenging times.” Know that my excitement and energy after my time at Starbucks was not from a caffeine high from the ever present coffee (and lattes, frapachinos and tea) but from the values based culture that has led to the creation of this 40 year old global enterprise with a heart.  www.starbucks.com