Preview

Starbucks: Internal and External Ethics Essay Example

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2833 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Starbucks: Internal and External Ethics Essay Example
Abstract

Business ethics is based on broad principles of integrity and fairness and focuses on internal stakeholder issues such as product quality, customer satisfaction, employee wages and benefits, and external local community and environmental responsibilities issues that a company can actually influence. This study discusses the internal and external business ethics practiced at Starbucks Corporation. One of the Starbucks guiding principles is “to contribute positively to communities and environment.”

Introduction

Starbucks purchases and roasts high-quality whole bean coffees and sells them along with fresh, rich brewed, Italian style espresso beverages, a variety of pastries and confections, and coffee-related accessories and equipment. The Starbucks Company established in 1971 in Seattle’s Pike Place market. The company’s short-term goal is to open 1,500 locations and long-term goal is to open 30,000 locations within the next decade. Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world next to Oil. The North America revenue accounted for 84.4% of the total revenue and International revenue accounted for 15.6%. Starbucks has more than 100,000 partners (employees). All eligible employees part and full-time qualify for a comprehensive benefit package that includes healthcare benefits and stock option grants through Bean Stock, Starbucks company-wide stock option plan.
According to Howard Schultz Starbucks Chairman, “We have the most knowledgeable work force in our industry”. Starbucks believes that people are the cornerstone of their success and ideas, commitment, and connection with customers are the essential elements. Starbucks invests in social programs in coffee-growing communities by contributing$1.8 million for social projects addressing local needs fro housing, health clinics, schools, good roads, and fresh drinking water.
Starbucks is the largest purchaser of Fair Trade Coffee in North America and is licensed to sell Fair trade

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    FIN/370 Week 2 Team

    • 1867 Words
    • 8 Pages

    In regards to the finance environment, Starbucks plays an active role in ethics and compliance. Not only are their employees offered ways to voice concerns of unethical issues in the work place, but also Starbucks’ partners as well. Starbucks holds a meeting every year for their shareholders in order to review the yearly performance, vote on issues, and voice their concerns about the company. Starbucks’ ethics program is setup in a way that helps integrate and network ethical business practices on all levels of the company. For six years now, Starbucks has been named among the world’s most ethical companies and to this day is still going strong (Business Ethics and Compliance. 2012).…

    • 1867 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Starting in Seattle with one store, Starbucks has grown across the country and has become a household name delivering one of the best tasting coffees in existence. The first Starbucks opened in 1971, serving fresh roasted coffees. “Today, more than 15,000 stores in 50 countries, Starbucks are the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world” (Starbucks, para. 7, 2010). The organization has been successful because of excellent managerial skills and implementing sound business decisions. Starbucks mission statement reads as follows: “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time” (Starbucks, 2010, p. 1). The company values its relationships with communities, its stores, business partners, shareholders, and employees. Responsible ethical character and compliance helps the Starbucks brand protect its reputation. This paper will explain the role of ethics, procedures, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) compliance, and evaluate the financial performance of the Starbucks organization.…

    • 1649 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Starbucks vs Tim Hortons

    • 1379 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Starbucks is a “premier roaster, marketer and retailer of specialty coffee” (Marketline 2012). This company is globally recognized because of their vast amount of stores, consisting of more than 17,000 retail stores in over 55 countries. Most retail stores are in highly populated areas, like “downtown and suburban centers, office buildings, university campuses and in select rural and off-highway locations” (Marketline 2012).…

    • 1379 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Disclosure Analysis Paper

    • 691 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Starbucks purchases and roasts high-quality whole bean coffees and sells them, along with fresh, rich brewed coffees through company operated retail stores. [ (Starbucks Investor Relations, 2009) ] Starbucks first opened in 1971 which was in Seattle. Starbucks mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time [ (Starbucks Investor Relations, 2009) ]. Today there are more than 15,000 stores in 50 countries.…

    • 691 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Starbucks Corporation is the global leader in coffee and has a strong entrepreneurial history of product development and branding. Ranked as both a Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 Best Company to Work For Starbucks employs 116,357 team members in the United States (Fortune, 2010).…

    • 2316 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Starbucks Corporation, founded in 1985 in Seattle, Washington, purchases, roasts and sells whole bean coffees at retail locations worldwide. Starbuck’s in-store products include brewed coffees, espresso beverages, blended beverages, complimentary food items, teas and brewing equipment. At the end of 2009, Starbucks operated through 7, 803 retail locations in 49 countries (Annual Report 4). In recent years, Starbucks’s stock has risen to near record highs (Starbucks Corporation – Finance).…

    • 847 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee company and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. In October 2006, Starbucks was the largest global roaster and retailer of coffee with more than 12,000 retail stores in 60 countries, some 3,000 of which are to be found in forty countries outside the United States. Looking forward, the company expects 50% of all new store opening to be outside the United States. In 2006, Starbucks closed a decade of astounding financial performance with increasing sales from $697 million to 7.8 billion, net profit from $36 million to 40 million and ROIC was 25.5%. These superior financial performances resulted from the excellent coffeehouse format with designing stores to create a relaxed, informal, and comfortable atmosphere and selling premium roasted coffee, freshly brewed espresso-style coffee beverages, a variety of pastries, coffee accessories, teas, and other products in a coffeehouse setting. This also resulted from superior customer services through highly trained and progressively compensated employees; the strategy of owning stores rather than making franchising arrangement for the basic formula. Sophisticated location strategy, and successful exploration of foreign opportunities also contributed to the Starbucks financial performance.…

    • 1136 Words
    • 33 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Starbucks was ranked tenth the best ethical company in the world that has has been constantly proving to the the world how Social responsible they are. Is an American coffee company and coffeehouse chain. Found on March 30, 1971; 45 years ago Pike Place market, Elliot Bay, Seattle, Washington, U.S. The founders are Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegal, Gordon Bowker. Some of Starbucks Coffee Company subsidiaries are Ethos water, Evolution fresh, Hear music, La Boulange Bakery, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Tazo, Teavana, and Trorefazione italia. Starbucks is considered the main representative of "second wave coffee," initially distinguishing itself from other coffee-serving venues in the US by taste, quality, and customer experience, while popularizing darkly roasted coffee. Starbucks holds roughly thirty-three percent of the market share for coffee in the U.S. Specialty coffee drinks account for around 75 percent of Starbucks’ sales, but an increasing amount of its business is centered on selling whole bean coffees and merchandise.…

    • 231 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Business codes of ethics are written guidelines use by an organization to set the standards for employees and management conduct and behavior ("Businessdictionary.com," 2013). Business code of ethics is important to deal with ethical the rules and principles needed for a successful business. Also known as code of conduct a business code of ethics reflect an organization values, ethics, objective, and responsibilities ensuring corporate responsibility, quality assurance, and customer satisfaction creating excellence, accountability, and transparency. In this paper an explanation and description of some general information concerning Starbucks mission, and ethical system uses with examples of their uses. The essay will also identify how the code of ethics affects employees, managers, and board of directors within the organization. An explanation of the organization need to modify the existing code of ethics and the best method to implement these changes will be discussed. Furthermore, a discussion of the possible reactions from employees, managers, and the effects the code may have on the organization will be provided.…

    • 1232 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world,with 17,009 stores in 50 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and over 150 in Turkey. Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, other hot and cold drinks, coffee beans, salads, hot and cold sandwiches and panini, pastries, snacks, and items such as mugs and tumblers. Through the Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company also markets books, music, and film. Many of the company's products are seasonal or specific to the locality of the store. Starbucks-brand ice cream and coffee are also offered at grocery stores. From Starbucks' founding in later forms in Seattle as a local coffee bean roaster and retailer, the company has expanded rapidly. In the 1990s, Starbucks was opening a new store every workday, a pace that continued into the 2000s. The first store outside the United States or Canada opened in the mid-1990s, and overseas stores now constitute almost one third of Starbucks' stores.The company planned to open a net of 900 new stores outside of the United States in 2009,but has announced 900 store closures in the United States since 2008.…

    • 654 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Case Study for Starbucks

    • 1575 Words
    • 7 Pages

    In a letter communicating to the Starbucks partners, Howard Schlutz made a remarkable distinction; “Starbucks is in the people business serving coffee, not in the coffee business serving people.” This has always been his objective and an area with which to evaluate his social responsibility…

    • 1575 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Starbucks Ethical Dilemma

    • 1116 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Crane and Matten (2010) state business ethics is the study of business situations, activities, and decisions where issues of right and wrong are addressed. Considering this definition of business ethics it can be concluded that the Starbuck’s management team have found themselves in an ethical dilemma in a business context.…

    • 1116 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Starbucks Ethical Behavior

    • 1535 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Over the last two decades social corporate responsibility has become an increasingly important factor in the business world. Corporate Social Responsibility is concerned with treating the stakeholders of a company or institution ethically or in a responsible manner. “Ethically or responsible' means treating key stakeholders in a manner deemed acceptable according to international norms “ Hopkins (2011).By social corporate responsibility we mean that businesses and organization that reflect their ethical , legal and social consequences on their management decisions. Business ethics are followed by all organization globally. While some of them are ethically acceptable by society , the other are unethical and not acceptable. Presently the Corporate Social Responsibility is measured by the contribution of an organization towards improving the luxury of people lives. One of the business organization that will be discussed here is the global coffee cafe chain Starbucks. Two of the key issues of Starbucks addressed in this essay are the treatment of the company towards its employees and the treatment towards the coffee growers.…

    • 1535 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Diversity and Ethics

    • 399 Words
    • 2 Pages

    According to Bateman and Snell (2009), ethics is defined as “the system of rules that governs the ordering of values.” The four functions of management are vital to an organization’s ethical behavior. Management has a responsibility, not only to the consumers, but also to the staff to lead by example and behave in an ethical manner. Starbucks understands the importance of ethics. For the third year in a row, Starbucks has been named one of the world’s most ethical companies by Ethisphere Magazine (Starbucks, 2009). Starbucks’ Standards of Business Conduct empowers…

    • 399 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    “To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time ("Starbucks", 2012).” Starbucks mission is to not only provide the highest quality of coffee but also make a positive impact on the world. Ethisphere Institute over the last six years has selected the World’s Most Ethical Companies and Starbucks has made the list every year. What are the key components that make Starbucks one of the most ethical companies in the world? Starbucks has developed the Standard of Business Conduct guide for their financial environment, as well as the behavior of their employees. Starbucks uses strict regulations and a variety of audits to ensure their accountability. Starbucks financial performance over the past few years proves an ethically responsible company can be extremely profitable.…

    • 1351 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays