Corporate social responsibility - Essay Example

Starbucks Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate social responsibility can be defined as a system where companies manage their business strategies to give an overall positive effect on society. In some aspects, it is the responsibility of a business to contribute to economic development and behave ethically. This is through improving the quality of life of the workforce, communities and families. Starbucks coffee company has engaged different corporate social responsibilities since 2001. The company policy on corporate social responsibility is that is should have positive effects to the community is serves.

The corporate social responsibility policy by the Star Bucks Company is classified into, moral sourcing, community missions, global responsibility report and environmental programs. This paper seeks to analyze Starbucks CSR basing on their four main approaches. To begin with the community initiatives, star bucks coffee company has settled on different ways to give back to the community. The company focuses on the communities where the stores are located and where the coffee is grown. This to some extent is faulty since corporate social responsibility should not be to a specific community.

The company together with its partners and workforce work out a system where they engage in a community activity with a good cause. The company has focused on youth leadership programmes and developing the family communities. In this, they achieve a sense of networking where the farming communities exchange ideas about farming (Behar & Goldstein, 2009 p100). The youth leadership and mentorship program introduce the youth in a particular community to fellows from other communities all over the world.

These initiatives by star bucks allow for exchange of ideas and the community feels they are a part of the team in making the high quality coffee all over the world. The company maintains that it is only through corporate social responsibility that they can become instruments of social change. Clearly, the company values that without a community of coffee growers and the communities around their stores, there is no star bucks coffee company. Ethical sourcing relates to how the company depends on farmers and suppliers to receive quality products.

In their policy, they admit that sustainability can only be achieved if they help the farmers and suppliers to thrive (Gilbert, 2008 p123). Through this ethical sourcing, the company only purchases quality products from the farmers and suppliers. These products include coffee, tea, and cocoa and manufacture products. There is ethic and integrity in this policy since the company focuses only on genuine products. In a way, this means that through buying direct genuine products, the farmers and suppliers can enjoy the fruits of their labour.

This policy is well informed since the company inspects all its products by its quality assurance departments. The producers of the raw coffee benefit in terms of a genuine business. The Starbucks company that solely depends on agricultural products hence they have a strong policy on environmental issues (Peng, 2010 p489). In their corporate responsibility policy, the company admits that it only through setting the pace, fellow companies will follow suit. The company engages different strategies to maintain a clean and sustainable environment.

The company is developing green stores where all the products from furniture to packaging products are environmental friendly. In addition, the company has set up strategies to help farmers adjust on their farming methods due to climate change. In comparison to other worldwide establishments like Cocacola Company, their sustainable packaging policy is not apt. The Coca-Cola Company has the best sustainable packaging system. This relates to the green bottling projects they have adapted. Finally, the Starbucks Company includes a global responsibility goals and project report annually.

It is a report detailing all the previous year’s CSR and the impacts. The company mentions that it is their moment of reflection on what effect they have made. Through this report the company understands the weaknesses and the strengths of their corporate social responsibility strategies (Schultz & Yang, 2007 p344). Through the report, they become more focused and intentional on what plans to make for the future. The report is essential on understanding what the specific communities want in terms of support.

The report is to some extent, a blueprint for the preceding years CSR projects in each community. This is a strength in Starbucks coffee company CSR since it is a report that analyzes the pros and cons of their strategies. Through this, they understand aptly on what to do for the community. Although Starbucks has this comprehensive corporate social responsibility, some of the plans are in doubt of their success. In the use of recyclable cups, Starbucks rest the decision on the customer. They claim it is up to the customer to decide if they want to recycle the cups.

In each store there is a sink where one can rinse their coffee cup (Simon, 2009 p87). The stores also offer a resale of the used cups. This strategy is not apt since the company should take first responsibility to recycling. To enhance this strategy, the company can use incentives such as discounts on coupons selected after recycling. This will influence more recycling plans by the customers. In conclusion, Starbucks Company is a worldwide venture that has engaged different plans for their corporate social responsibility projects.

They focus on individual communities where they have initiatives for the youth and networking among farming communities. Through ethical sourcing, the company supports its farmers and suppliers. It also has a strong focus on environmental issues. The global responsibility report helps the company plan its CRS. Bibliography BEHAR, H., & GOLDSTEIN, J. (2009). It's not about the coffee: lessons on putting people first from a life at Starbucks. New York, Portfolio. GILBERT, S. (2008). The story of Starbucks.

Mankato, MN, Creative Education. SCHULTZ, H., & YANG, D. J. (2007). Pour your heart into it how Starbucks built a company one cup at a time. New York, NY, Hyperion. PENG, M. W. (2010). Global business. Mason, OH, Cengage South Western. SIMON, B. (2009). Everything but the Coffee Learning about America from Starbucks. Berkeley, University of California Press.