Page 169 - The Starbucks Experience

PRINCIPLE 5

Starbucks values-driven approach requires coordination
among various parts of the business to oversee and imple-
ment socially responsible practices. The Starbucks board of
directors, the company’s CEO and president, and The Star-
bucks Foundation—a separate 501(c)(3) organization—all
work in concert with the senior vice president of Corporate
Social Responsibility to guide policy and to guide the imple-
mentation of these community-oriented priorities. Various
departments, such as Business Practices and Corporate Social
Responsibility, are designed to bring Starbucks community
objectives into reality. This department not only focuses on
current social programs, but also looks for new ways to reach
out to the communities with which Starbucks is involved. As
Sue Mecklenburg, vice president of this group, suggests, “I’ve
seen Corporate Social Responsibility move from being a mat-
154 ter of philanthropy to being the way we run our business. It’s
transformational!”
Many managers, nevertheless, may feel that they don’t
have the same resources to devote to community-based pro-
grams, especially when compared to a large organization like
Starbucks. In truth, the size of a company only partly
explains the magnitude of its social impact. The scale of any
leadership’s conscience and the size of its heart also play a big
role. Small and midsized companies can do amazing things
for the people who work for them and for their neighbors.
They can make a big splash in a smaller pond.
Unfortunately, leaders in companies of all sizes, from mom-
and-pop stores to multinational conglomerates, often fail to
realize what they can do to contribute to their communities
and to society as a whole. Starbucks leadership represents a
powerful exemplar of ways to be a success at business while
being a life-enhancing force for individuals and communities.