Starbucks’ Conscience Brews Better Business (VIDEO)
When it comes to giving back to the community and the environment, Starbucks has always made it a priority.
“From Day One, we’ve always believed our business model was a little bit different,” explained Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. “That was to create a balance between making a profit and shareholder value but ,most specifically, a social conscience and a level of benevolence.” Watch Howard Schultz talk about social responsibility, plus what he orders at Starbucks:
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz (left) with genConnect’s Baruch Shemtov (right) at the Aspen Ideas Festival
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From Starbucks’ inception, social responsibility manifested itself in everything from their global Ethos Water campaign to offering health care and stock options for all employees.
So was it challenging to keep that promise as the company grew? Yes, he said, but “the only way you can create value through your shareholders is if you create value through your people.”
Schultz stressed that if companies focus on the community, they can help their bottom line as well.
“It’s even more important today because so many communities across America are in need,” he said, noting that 42 out of 50 states are currently experiencing budget deficits and cuts to social services. “Companies and business leaders must recognize, we can’t wait for Washington. We’ve got to do more. We’ve got to do our part.”
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genConnect is credentialed press at the 2012 Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colo., where we are interviewing the premier speakers and attendees at the conference. For more of our video interviews and articles from the Ideas Festival, click here.
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Category: Charities & Causes, Giving Back, Videos
