Starbucks' mission statement addresses its responsibility to its product (coffee), customers, partners (suppliers), stores, neighborhoods and shareholders (Starbucks, 2013). The company's website advertises its policy further by stating, "as we have grown to now more than 18,000 stores in over 60 countries, so too has our commitment to corporate citizenship. So it is our vision that together we will elevate our partners, customers, suppliers and neighbors to use our scale for good. To be innovators, leaders and contributors to an inclusive society and a healthy environment so that Starbucks and everyone we touch can endure and thrive. The company's CSR policy is focused on building reciprocal allies with suppliers, communities, and customers rather than on paternalistic ideas of a company "owing "its stakeholders" (Kleinrichert, 2008). Starbucks further breaks down its CSR policy into categories of community, ethical sourcing, environment, and a global responsibility report. The company's annual Global Responsibility Report shows the future goals for the company, the extent that Starbucks goes to in order to meet those goals, and how the data and statistics are defined (Starbucks, 2013). The report for 2012 dives into many social responsibility aspects that the company is involved in. The report states the company's position on Fair Trade, its support of farmer loans, greener stores, recycling and more. The company also includes future goals for the year 2015 and shows how well it has done since 2011, progressing towards the achievement of these goals (Starbucks, 2013). .
What is the company doing to be socially responsible?.
Starbucks can be the face of corporate sustainability. According to Wilson (2003), "while corporate sustainability recognizes that corporate growth and profitability are important, it also requires the corporation to pursue societal goals, specifically those relating to sustainable development environmental development"" (p.