Starbucks Pledges to Slash Water Use and Waste
January 21 2020 - 9:29AM
Dow Jones News
By Heather Haddon
Starbucks Corp. wants to cut its water use and the amount of
trash it sends to landfills over the next decade, the latest big
company to set fresh targets for limiting its environmental
impact.
The coffee giant said Tuesday that it aims to serve more coffee
in reusable cups, curb food and packaging waste and set a more
environmentally friendly menu including more plant-based options.
Starbucks also plans to build stores that make more efficient use
of energy and water, and improve environmental practices among its
coffee growers and other suppliers.
Starbucks is one of many companies facing more pressure from
consumers and investors to address sustainability and their
environmental impact.
BlackRock Inc., the world's largest asset manager and one of
Starbucks's largest shareholders, said earlier this month that it
would ask companies to assess and better address their
environmental risk. Investment funds with sustainability goals are
growing, as is scrutiny of their efforts to meet those
benchmarks.
"The journey we undertake is not only the right one for
Starbucks's responsibility as a corporate citizen of the world but
is also fundamental to our brand relevance," Chief Executive Kevin
Johnson said in a letter to employees and customers. The company
said it plans to include the letter in Starbucks's annual proxy to
investors on Friday.
Starbucks was one of the biggest companies to say it would
eliminate single-use plastic straws in 2018 amid an outcry against
their use. Starbucks said it would get rid of them by 2020.
Starbucks is on track to eliminate plastic straws through paper
ones or recyclable and strawless lids in more than 30,000 stores
where it operates by the end of the year, said John Kelly, the
company's executive vice president for public affairs and social
impact.
Mr. Kelly said the positive response to Starbucks's pledge on
straws encouraged the company to set more sustainability goals.
"The world is clearly looking for companies like Starbucks to do
more," Mr. Kelly said in an interview.
Starbucks has long offered a 10-cents credit for customers who
bring in their own cups. Now the company is testing other
incentives to encourage more customers, which could include a
larger reimbursement, Mr. Kelly said.
Starbucks earlier this month added new coffees with almond,
coconut and oat dairy-alternatives as part of its plant-based menu
targets. The company is considering adding plant-based meats to its
menu, particularly in breakfast items, Mr. Kelly said.
"Everything is on the table," he said.
Write to Heather Haddon at heather.haddon@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 21, 2020 09:14 ET (14:14 GMT)
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