SEATTLE, September 09, 2011 - As part of Starbucks Coffee Company’s (NASDAQ: SBUX) goal to ensure 100 percent of its cups are reusable or recyclable by 2015, it will host its third cup summit today at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In addition to convening more than 100 industry leaders – including competitors – to discuss cross-industry standards and solutions for the recyclability of food packaging and serveware in the U.S. and Canada, Starbucks will host a public webinar at 12:00 p.m. ET (live) with expert representatives from MIT, Tim Horton’s, Georgia-Pacific and Action Carting Environmental Services.

“Over the past three years, we’ve learned that success has been a combination of forward-thinking partnerships along with innovative approaches to widespread challenges,” said Jim Hanna, Starbucks director of environmental impact. “By collaborating with key industry leaders – even competitors – we are better able to reduce the global impact of packaging throughout the industry.”
 

Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated each of its national Top Partner lists, highlighting some of America’s largest green power purchasers. Starbucks ranked No. 3 on the National Top 20 Retail list, and No. 4 on both the National Top 50 and Fortune 500® lists. Each list highlights EPA Green Power Partners that have completed the largest annual voluntary purchases through November 1, 2010. EPA updates its Top Partner Lists quarterly at epa.gov/greenpower/toplists. To learn more about Starbucks environmental efforts, visit starbucks.com/responsibility2009.
 

Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) today announced the results of its Vote, Give, Grow in-store donation program. Hike for KaTREEna, a non-profit organization whose aim is to replant trees that were lost during the disaster, received the greatest number of votes, which entitles it to the top-valued $50,000 grant. Two other local organizations, Young Leadership Council, which engages young professionals in community projects, and KaBOOM!, whose mission is to create play spaces within walking distance of every child in America, will each receive $25,000 grants.

 

With more than 16,000 retail locations around the world, Starbucks continues to innovate and evolve the customer experience with a new store design approach inspired by Starbucks™ Shared Planet™, our commitment to ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement. With each new or renovated store, we strive to reflect the character of the surrounding neighborhood, allowing customers to feel truly at home when visiting “their” store and giving them opportunities for discovery at our other locations around the world.

The new Starbucks store at 96th Street and Lexington Avenue is nestled in a 100-year-old residential building between the Carnegie Hall and East Harlem neighborhoods. Located next to a major subway stop and Monterey Public garden, the coffeehouse serves as a gathering place for local patrons, commuters and international visitors. It’s also just blocks away from Central Park, world-renowned museums, Mt. Sinai Hospital and Metropolitan Hospital.

The store showcases locally sourced materials as well as reused and recycled elements, from the artwork to the community table. In addition, this store is registered for LEED® certification. Throughout the store, our customers will find plaques that identify and explain specific green design and construction elements. We hope these markers not only inform customers about our focus on sustainability, but motivate them to make environmentally responsible choices in their homes and workplaces.
 

NEW ORLEANS – August 25, 2010 – When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, Starbucks committed $5 million over a five-year period to help rebuild communities in the Greater New Orleans area. Next month, $100,000 of this commitment will be distributed to local non-profit organizations through an in-store program called Vote, Give, Grow. Starbucks created the program to involve its partners (employees) and customers in the company’s neighborhood improvement efforts, and to increase awareness of the need for ongoing support.

From September 1-27, customers who make any purchase in one of 21 participating Starbucks stores in the Greater New Orleans area will receive a token that they can drop into a voting bank to show support for their favorite cause. Customers can vote for one of three partner-selected beneficiaries: Young Leadership Council, which engages young professionals in community projects; KaBOOM!, whose mission is to create play spaces within walking distance of every child in America; and Hike for KaTREEna, whose aim is to replant trees that were lost during the disaster. The organization with the most votes will receive a $50,000 grant, and the runners-up will each receive $25,000 grants.

 

Starbucks has collaborated with the City of Seattle and other local stakeholders to implement a comprehensive recycling and composting program that includes front-of-store collection. We rolled the program out in our 90 Seattle company-owned stores in May 2010.

A special media availability will be hosted at a local Starbucks store to learn about the new Seattle law that requires all food service businesses to replace single-use, throw-away food service ware with recyclable or compostable alternatives beginning Thursday, July 1, 2010.

Representatives from the Seattle City Council, Seattle Public Utilities, and Starbucks will be on hand to discuss the following:

WHAT:    You’re invited to participate in a live announcement of the betacup challenge winners. For the past 10 weeks, this online contest has engaged creative thinkers in solving the disposable cup waste problem through open collaboration.

Join the betacup organizers, together with contest sponsor Starbucks Coffee Company, platform partner Jovoto, media partners Core77, and a selection of the betacup judges for a live-streamed presentation of the awards.

The entrant who submitted the most innovative idea will receive a $10,000 cash prize. In addition, entrants whose ideas are among the top five selected by the community of collaborators will each be awarded a $2,000 cash prize.

During the event, organizers will share insights gained from the contest and discuss plans for the future.