Fancy Pants

What Starbucks Says.

Dear Ms. Strader,
Thank you for your comments regarding Fair Trade CertifiedT coffee. I was happy to pass on your feedback and suggestions
to our Corporate and Social Responsibility department. Here is some additional information about our efforts.
Starbucks is committed to brewing Fair Trade CertifiedT coffee as "Coffee of the Day", our brewed coffee program that helps
us educate customers about our different whole bean offerings, on a monthly basis. We also sell whole bean Fair Trade
CertifiedT coffee throughout the year in our Company-operated stores.  The coffee is also available to our wholesale accounts
such as colleges, universities and hotels.Starbucks and the Fair Trade movement share common goals - to ensure that coffee
farmers receive a fair price for their beans, and to ensure they can sustain their farms in the future. Starbucks is one of the Fair
Trade movement's biggest customers, and we are licensed to sell Fair Trade CertifiedT coffee in 21 countries around the world. 
You may not realize that less than three percent of the world's coffee farmers participate in the Fair Trade certification system,
which does not include the majority of producers from whom Starbucks purchases coffee. But we are committed to paying a fair
price to farmers for all of our coffee, including Fair Trade Certified. In fiscal 2004, Starbucks paid an average verified price of
$1.20 per pound ($2.64 per kilogram), significantly above the world prices for coffee. In addition, we look for opportunities to
have long-term contracts so that farmers have the security of knowing they will have a buyer for future crops, and we establish
direct buying relationships with farmers and cooperatives when possible. We also work with organizations that assist farmers
with affordable loans and agricultural techniques that improve quality and result in higher incomes for farmers, and invest in
social development programs in coffee producing countries. To further underscore our commitment to equitable and
sustainable relationships with farmers, Starbucks developed global coffee buying guidelines. The guidelines encourage a
sustainable approach to high-quality coffee production, including social, environmental and economic criteria. Starbucks
will give purchasing preference to farmers who adopt sustainable practices such as paying and treating employees fairly,
providing access to housing, medical and other resources, and protecting the environment. We appreciate your interest in
Starbucks Fair Trade CertifiedT coffee and the livelihood of coffee farmers.  We encourage you to support the Fair Trade
system by your future purchases of Starbucks Fair Trade Blend and by becoming familiar with all the others ways that you
and Starbucks can support coffee farmers.  Please feel free to visit our web site at www.starbucks.com/csr for more information
about Starbucks efforts and to read our latest Corporate Social Responsibility Annual Report.  
 

posted by Sweet T @ 4:04 PM