Starbucks Code Of Ethics

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Starbucks is a well-known coffee chain brand that does not need introduction. It has thousands of retailer shops all over world, serving different varieties of coffee, hot and cold appetizers, desserts, and selling popular branded glasses and cups. It declares that its goal is ethical sourcing of the finest coffee, caring about human connections, involving partners, consumers, employees, investors and the all neighborhood. However, despite the statements of the company about its compliance with ethical conduct, Starbucks is often involved in scandals that suggest the opposite. Closer look at the business practices of Starbucks proves that not all of them are decent and socially reprehensible. The analysis of the company’s activity according …show more content…

It requires certain participation in public and societal issues of the community that includes respect for law, as well as responsibility for maintaining the environment. In 2008, the company pledged to recycle all plastic and paper cups disposed of its American and Canadian stores by 2012, but then rescheduled the deadline to 2015. Starbucks also declared their goal to use 25% of reusable mugs or tumblers by 2015. In 2011 the planned number was slashed to 5%. As for the both initiatives the company is behind the schedule, offering recycling bins in only 47% of promised stores, and serving just 1.8% of beverages in reusable cups (Lubin). Goals concerning reduction of energy consumption were also not fulfilled. Still, reports prove that compared to other big retailer companies, Starbucks at least make some efforts to improve the situation. Though, the set goals were not reached, the overall fact that they were listed in the Global Responsibility Report is exemplary. The citizenship principle is much more violated by Starbucks tax avoidance in UK. In 2012 Starbucks has became the embodiment of the corporate tax avoidance in Britain. On sales of 1.2 billion pounds, the company reported no profit, and therefore paid no income tax. Tax avoiding practices, generally, are negatively perceived by the society, resembling opportunistic behavior and harming the company’s reputation (Hoi, Wu & Zhang, 2030). Starbucks’ investors were told about profitability of the UK business, while the company consistently reported