Extending our reach – one partnership at a time.
Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ is our commitment to doing business responsibly. And while our vision is big, we’re doing things to extend our reach at the same time. We’re working to promote a better way of helping each other and the planet – by inspiring our customers and partners to take action and by joining forces with a cross-section of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Our NGO partners bring specialized expertise and experience to the table, and they work with us to create solutions that support our commitments to ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement.
Starbucks partners with organizations like Conservation International, Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), Earthwatch Institute, Save the Children, Youth Venture and the International Youth Foundation. We’re also members of industry organizations that help us further define our strategy and meet our goals. Every one of them plays a part in our success, and they’re crucial to helping us reach our goals.
More about our NGO partners.
CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
Conservation International helped design the environmentally, socially and economically responsible guidelines that drive our coffee purchases under Starbucks™ Shared Planet™.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
1998
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Ethical sourcing
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
Promoting responsible farming practices and identifying ways that coffee farmers can be part of the solution in addressing climate change.
FAIR TRADE
TransFair USA and the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) provide certification labeling for the Fair Trade Certified™ coffee we purchase. Together, we work in support of small-scale coffee farmers, their communities and the environment.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2000
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Ethical sourcing
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
Combining the verification processes for our unique systems and encouraging responsible farming practices for small-scale farmers participating in C.A.F.E. Practices and Fair Trade certification.
AFRICAN WILDLIFE FOUNDATION (AWF)
AWF works with Starbucks to promote coffee quality, environmental sustainability and natural resource conservation among farmers in East Africa.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2005
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Ethical sourcing
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
Kenya Heartland Coffee Project
Starbucks and AWF collaborate to protect wildlife, conserve natural resources and promote high-quality coffee production using our Ethical sourcing principles –all while improving farmer livelihoods in coffee communities in Kenya.
BUSINESS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (BSR)
Starbucks is part of BSR’s global network of companies that are working together to advance social and environmental responsibility and find sustainable solutions both within and across industries.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
1994
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Ethical sourcing
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
Improving compliance with Starbucks Ethical sourcing standards for manufactured products in factories
EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE
Earthwatch Institute helps our partners (employees) and customers participate in expeditions to replant rainforests, map water sources and biodiversity indicators, and share sustainable farming practices.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2001
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Environmental Stewardship
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
Scientific expeditions to coffee farms in Costa Rica
CERES
Starbucks is a member of Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) a coalition of consumer-facing companies calling for climate and energy legislation. The effort is coordinated by Ceres, who works with Starbucks and other companies to address environmental challenges.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2008
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Environmental stewardship
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
BICEP
United States Green Building Council (USGBC)
The USGBC developed and oversees the green building certification system known as LEED. Starbucks has been a leader in working with the USGBC to develop the LEED green building certification system for retailers and on a program that will allow companies with multiple locations to develop sustainable store design.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2000
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Environmental stewardship
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
LEED for Retail program, which evolved LEED’s commercial building model to more easily apply to retail footprint and LEED volume certification, which helps companies develop models for sustainable design that can be replicated in multiple locations.
SAVE THE CHILDREN
Save the Children helps children survive and thrive by improving their health, education and economic opportunities. Starbucks partners with Save the Children to help address the needs of children in coffee-farming communities.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2005
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Community involvement
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
Education projects in Guatemala
SUSTAINABLE FOOD LAB
Starbucks is a member of the Sustainable Food Lab, a partnership of business and civil society leaders from around the globe, working to accelerate the shift of sustainable food from niche to mainstream. Starbucks is a founding member of the SFL Business Coalition, which works to create an industry-wide platform for continuous improvement regarding social and environmental performance in food systems and agriculture.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2005
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Ethical sourcing
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
Sustainable Food Laboratory Business Coalition, Learning Journey Summits and Value Chain Projects
(RED)
(RED)™ leverages the purchasing power of consumers and translates it to helping others. When a (PRODUCT)RED product is purchased, a portion of the profits goes to the Global Fund to help fund AIDS grants in Africa, with a focus on the health of women and children.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2008
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Community involvement
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
(STARBUCKS)RED
MERCY CORPS
We partner with Mercy Corps on several projects to help improve health and access to clean water in coffee- and tea-growing regions.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2002
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Community involvement
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
Community Health and Advancement Initiative (CHAI) and Sumatra Healthy Schools Project funded by Ethos Water Fund.
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FOUNDATION (IYF)
We support IYF’s global initiative, YouthActionNet, which identifies, encourages and enhances the leadership potential of an emerging generation of young people. These young leaders have spearheaded projects and created a positive impact in more than 70 countries.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2008
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Community involvement
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
The Starbucks Innovation Fund for YouthActionNet Fellows.
ASHOKA YOUTH VENTURES
Our partnership is focused on enabling young people to create, launch and lead their own community-benefiting organizations, or "ventures." The ventures are solutions to local problems identified by youth themselves.
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE
2008
AREA OF COLLABORATION
Community involvement
MAJOR PROJECT(S)
Dream it. Do it. Tour and Youth Summit
