Essay Sample on Starbuck's Mission: Social Responsibility and Brand Strength

Founded in 1971, the company has its operations extended to over 50 countries, constituting more than 16000 stores. The case introduces you to how the company has been involved in the production of high-quality coffee and other products that are made available at designated and accessible locations matched with an affordable price together with a high drinking experience and a number of choices to make to obtain one’s coffee of choice for a long time. Starbucks works hand to engage in social responsibility. This includes engaging in ethical practices. Ethical practices include the environment, consumer protection, employees, and communities. The case, therefore, focuses on the reasons why the company has incorporated social responsibility in its corporate strategy. The essay also presents an overview of how Starbucks Company handles its ethical issues. Finally, an evaluation of Starbuck's ethics and recommendations.

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The case overlooks Starbucks’s mission in social responsibility and strengthening its brand. Founded in 1971, the company has its operations extended to over 50 countries, constituting more than 16000 stores. Basically, the main mission of Starbucks is to ``is to give inspiration togethering with nurturing the human spirit using one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.’’ (Campbell & Helleloid, 2016) The case introduces you to how the company has been involved in the production of high-quality coffee and other products that are made available at designated and accessible locations matched with an affordable price together with a high drinking experience and a number of choices to make to obtain one’s coffee of choice for a long time. The company has a good reputation, especially in practicing social and business ethics. The company responds well to environmental change through the adoption of strategies that effectively match the changing business environment. Apart from being concerned about amassing profits, the company has adopted an efficient strategy to give back to society by being involved in social responsibility activities. The company has also keenly observed its ethics as a way of strengthening its brand.

The case, therefore, focuses on the reasons why the company has incorporated social responsibility in its corporate strategy. The essay also presents an overview of how Starbucks Company handles its ethical issues. Finally, an evaluation of Starbuck's ethics and recommendations.

Starbucks Company has achieved social responsibility by following guidelines, reducing its total environmental footprint, and taking part in community practices. This is essential in most companies as companies that enhance ethical practices are successful in the long run. Customers enjoy services from a company that engages in social responsibility. (StarbucksCompany, 2015) Furthermore, workers enjoy working in such companies, which increases customer experience. Starbucks engages in social responsibility because;

Starbucks has spent most of its time in the past two decades, trying to build and defend the company’s image. The company has also engaged in clustering strategies where the company management put several coffee cafes out of business making most of the consumers wonder the need to have two coffee shops in opposite streets. During the financial recession of 2008-2009, Starbucks decided to change its strategy and incorporate social responsibility as a response to the economic downturn that was being experienced. (StarbucksCompany, 2015) To strengthen the company’s image, hundreds of all underperforming coffee shops were closed. Furthermore, the company introduced a ``breakfast parings’’ that was served at an affordable price. Additionally, consumers were given an instant coffee that they could easily brew easily at home.

Secondly, Starbucks realized that being socially responsible comes with both financial and non-financial rewards. Furthermore, Schultz was a persistent believer that companies that were socially responsible would perform better both in the short run and long run. For being socially responsible, Starbucks knew that it would be to amass enough loyalty from its suppliers, employees, and customers (Campbell & Helleloid, 2016). Through this, the employees will be happy to work in the organization that will be characterized by low annual workers turnover, harmony as well as improved production. The employees enjoy working in the Company and develop pride. When loyal customers see happy and long-term serving employees, they get the reason to trust the products. On the other hand, when consumers see that Starbucks is practicing and engaging in social responsibility, they remain loyal customers and recommend family members and friends. Finally, the company is engaging in social responsibility to get loyal suppliers who can even invest in the company.

Overview of the Starbucks’ Company Approach to Ethical Issues

The case on the Company approach to ethical issues briefs you on how Starbucks Company conducts its business operations ethically and its desire to do things right as a vital move to its success. It informs you how Starbuck’s ethical considerations have evolved from 1973 to date as a means of defending the company’s image. The company has done a lot of things as a way ethically defending its image, which includes investing in the community and creating a happy working environment by giving workers their full benefits (StarbucksCompany, 2015). This is enhanced considering Howard Schultz grew up in a poor background because his father worked under an employer who was not sympathetic as he did not provide his father with all health benefits. To ensure ethical consideration, Starbucks closed 10% of its stores to ensure the provision of health insurance to each employee.

Furthermore, it is of best interest to note that Starbucks Company provides its customers with the best coffee, which is served under a health program in respective coffee shops. By doing so, the company has been able to push forward its mission and values that protect its culture and reputation as a company that is guided and lead by ethical leadership. (Campbell & Helleloid, 2016) For instance, when the company wants to introduce new products in the market, it labels the content of each product to create great transparency with customers and help them make informed decisions. It is also important to mention that employees or workers in Starbucks are not just seen as ``servants’’, but instead, they are seen as a partnering body like suppliers, shareholders, or customers.

Evaluation of How Starbucks Handles Ethical Issues

Ethical issues in the Starbucks Company are handled through Corporate Social Mission. Through this, the Company has supported and practiced responsible company operations as a means of defending the company image. The ethical issues that Starbucks is concerned with include the environment, employees, consumers, and communities.

Since 1992, it has become a trend in Starbucks to maintain the environment ``green’’ as a statement of articulating the company’s ethics in giving the environment the first priority. To handle environment ethics, Starbucks developed the ``Environmental Starbucks Coffee Company Team’’ that has the mandate to develop ethical policies to conserve the environment (StarbucksCompany, 2015). As part of showing its environmental ethics, the company begun following environmental guidelines to reduce the release of wastes, conserve energy, and educate the community on measures to conserve the environment.

Starbucks has also been sensitive in handling employees with ethics. Despite Schultz’s father facing unsympathetic treatment at work, he has no intention of replicating the same in his company. To handle employee’s ethics, he has introduced a platform through which workers are given full health benefits. Furthermore, the company has closed 10% of its coffee shops to ensure every employee has health insurance.

Enhancing customer satisfaction and strengthening the company’s brand is the major ethical concern of Starbucks. The company handles customer’s ethical concerns by rethinking the strategy to use. With the rise in obesity, the company is sensitive in maintaining the coffee calories below 500. (Campbell & Helleloid, 2016). Additionally, the company focuses on enhancing the quality of the coffee to enhance the consumer experience.

Lastly, Starbucks is sought to be an ``instant gathering spot’’ with the slogan that it’s a ``place that draws people together.’’ This is a community-based move to promote the local community to encourage togetherness. Starbucks handles community ethics through proactive approaches as a means of ending unemployment.

Recommendations

To enhance customer experience, coffee needs to be of high quality and ethically outsourced.

Partners and stakeholders need to be passionate amongst themselves, where they should hold themselves at the same standards.

Customers should be provided with quality beverage

Finally, Starbucks needs to have a comfortable and welcoming store to build a sense of belonging amongst customers.

References

Campbell, K., & Helleloid, D. (2016). Starbucks: Social responsibility and brand strengthening. Journal of Accounting Education, 37, 38–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccedu.2016.09.001

StarbucksCompany. (2015). Ethical considerations. STARBUCKS. https://starbucks-canada.weebly.com/ethical-considerations.html‌