Brand Continues Providing Employees Health Insurance and Trade with Mexico to Counter New Trump Policies
Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz vowed to hire 10,000 refugees in response to Donald Trump’s executive order banning entries from seven predominantly Muslim countries, including refugees fleeing wars.
“We have a long history of hiring young people looking for opportunities and a pathway to a new life around the world,” he wrote in a message addressed to employees and partners of Starbucks.
“There are more than 65 million citizens of the world recognised as refugees by the United Nations, and we are developing plans to hire 10,000 of them over five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks does business,” he added.
Schultz said the effort would start from the US, with a focus on hiring those who have served US troops as interpreters and support personnel.
Starbucks pledged to continue its investments in Mexico, a decision made to counter Trump’s call to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. Starbucks has sourced coffee from Mexico’s producers for three decades and has created a farmer support centre in Chiapas to accelerate the ability to grow and export of the coffees.
“We stand ready to help and support our Mexican customers, partners and their families as they navigate what impact proposed trade sanctions, immigration restrictions and taxes might have on their business and their trust of Americans,” said Shultz.
With the Affordable Care Act – also referred to as Obamacare – subjected to be repealed with new Trump policies, Shultz reassured employees that they would remain eligible for health insurance from the company.
Starbucks was a winner of World Branding Awards in the Retail – Coffee category.
