Starbucks reaffirms its commitment to communities with global month of service

This April, Starbucks will be hosting a global month of service to highlight its continued goal in supporting youth and environmental initiatives in its local communities across markets worldwide.

Since 2008, internationally and regionally, Starbucks has begun a series of localised projects to support thriving communities by addressing their local needs and building on current community service efforts. The aim of this initiative is to further the building of flourishing communities by addressing local needs and encouraging current community service efforts. It is expected that every market around the globe will have a service opportunity for partners and customers during the month of April.

Celebrating its 41^st year, Starbucks partners (employees) and customers around the world will dedicate their time and energy to help create thriving neighbourhoods. In addition, Starbucks is teaming up with national NGOs and local organisations around the world to identify and organise service opportunities to best meet the needs of each community with a focus on Starbucks’ existing priorities around youth and the environment.

Expectations for the year are to have 1, 750 partner led service projects globally, compared to 1,400 projects in 2011.  Starbucks aims to reach 100,000 participants worldwide which will contribute to its commitment to achieve one million hours of community service by 2015.

For the past four years in the Middle East, Starbucks partners delivered over 222 projects amounting to over 11,000 hours spent on community service to date, spread across nine markets in the Middle East. Known as Community Connections, this programme aims to connect, discover and respond to the local neighbourhoods and communities.

Rana Shaheen, Regional Communications and CSR Manager at Starbucks MENA said: “For the past 41 years we have made it our mission to play a vital role in the communities in which we operate. At Starbucks we demonstrate our mission and values by not only providing exceptional customer service inside our stores, but also by joining customers in community service outside our stores. This global month of service is a way for our partners and customers to join together as change makers to activate and elevate positive change in the communities where they live and work.”

As part of its ongoing wide range of initiatives through the Community Connections programme, Starbucks recently participated in several events in Qatar aimed at providing support to the local communities.

In March 2012 Starbucks took part in a tree planting activity at Al Khor School to highlight and enhance the green life in the local environment; whilst earlier in December of last year, Starbucks participated in a tree planting activity at Dhreima Orphanage Foundation. Symbolically, tree planting ceremonies are an age-old ritual, spanning many countries and numerous cultures. Putting a healthy, young tree in the ground is a symbol of celebration: representing life, hope, growth and continuity and Starbucks has maintained its dedication to always help the Qatar community prosper and grow in the future.

During the month of Ramadan last year Starbucks also hosted an Iftar for over 50 children from the Dhreima Orphanage Foundation in addition to organizing games and distributing gifts to all the children. Based around generosity, spirituality and connection the holy month,  Ramadan is a time that Starbucks fully embraces as connecting with the children in the Qatari community to share the spirit of togetherness with them.

In June 2011 Starbucks partnered with the Al Wakra Municipality to clean Al Wakra beach from waste that posed a threat to people and marine life. Collectively, these activities allowed Starbucks to help in enhancing the local environment by removing waste, in addition to restoring and maintaining the beauty of Qatar’s beaches. Upon completion of the cleanup initiative, Starbucks Qatar presented the Municipality with Starbucks gifts as a gesture of thanks. 

Starbucks partners have been building on the Community Connections programme for the past four years across nine markets. Information on activities varies from city to city, and we encourage you to visit http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility to see how you can get involved in aiding Starbucks in strengthening your community.

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