Question

With thousands of stores located all around the world, a new Starbucks location would hardly seem to be newsworthy. However, many people are excited about one of the most recent openings in Seattle. The company’s familiar green and white sign hangs outside the new store, but that may be all that is recognizable.  In fact, many consumers may wonder whether they have seen the rest of the store somewhere else, perhaps while waiting a railroad crossing or while driving down the highway because this store, unlike other Starbucks locations, is made from recycled shipping containers.  

The new building follows the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) protocol.  Its design came to architect Anthony Perez while he was looking out of his window at one of the busiest shipping ports in the country where unused shipping containers were waiting to be taken to the scrapyard.  Perez used the containers as the building blocks for the new store and then continued the green design into the landscaping as well. He notes that Starbucks has always been committed to sustainability inside its stores.  He simply applied the concept outside as well.  

On the wall of the new store is sign indicating Starbucks’s dedication to sustainability. With words like recycle, reuse, regenerate, and so on, the sign clearly illustrates Starbucks’ belief that it can make a difference. The CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, hopes that other companies will follow its lead in corporate sustainability.

Does Starbucks, as a well-known company, have a special responsibility to lead the way in being environmentally friendly? Has Starbucks assumed a leadership position in environmental sustainability in the coffee industry?

Answer 1

Points of discussion suggested:

Students would possibly say that businesses with a leadership presence in an sector are also responsible for leading the way in areas such as environmental sustainable growth. Starbucks seems ready to assume this position. Students should remember that this new initiative is just one aspect of the company's environmental commitment. Starbucks has made a regular part of its operation for recycled paper items. Furthermore, the long-standing dedication of the organization to fair trade coffee has also compelled rivals to purchase fair trade coffee.