Do companies have a social responsibility? Should companies use their money to benefit their consumers and society or please the shareholders? These are the main questions asked in the debate of corporate social responsibilities in “Rethinking the Social Responsibility of Business” in the Reason published in October 2005. This issue is something which Starbucks should be interested in because of how our company can benefit from the business strategies argued in this article. More importantly, I will discuss the different perspectives from the article and determine the proper stance on corporate social responsibility that is best for Starbucks in order to thrive in the food and beverage industry.
Background
Capitalism is widely seen as a mistrusted system centered on greed and selfishness. This is why it is important for businesses to have a sense of
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However, the stance that is most relatable to our mission is from John Mackey. Similar to Whole Foods, Howard Schultz, the first Starbucks CEO, created this coffee company without a conflict of interest between capitalism and compassion. The mission statement of Starbucks is: “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.” Starbucks has always put its workers and communities first and this has been integral to the company’s worldwide success. Our workers are offered healthcare, maternity and paternity paid leave, and equity in the form of stocks which motivates them to contribute hard work, time and dedication to our causes. Through innovation and consumer engagement, Starbucks is always looking to make the food and beverage industry better for its customers. With that being said, our company has proven that compassionate capitalism can be a more appealing brand than companies that only look out for their own