Dear partners,

As we get back to Starbucks, we must refocus on what has always set us apart — a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas. 

Investing in your journey, as leaders, is how we’ll have the greatest impact. Today we’re making two important announcements:   

We will host a Leadership Experience conference for store managers and above in 2025.

We know the power of in-person connection. We haven’t met as a group since 2019, and we’re excited to bring our North America retail leaders together again in 2025 to help us get “back to Starbucks.” Your role is critical, and we want to make sure we are all working together. The event will include training, development, and opportunities to connect. We’re working to make it great. Stay tuned for more!

We’re committed to career development and are setting a goal to hire internally for 90% of our retail leadership roles, from shift supervisor roles on up.

Today between 59% and 83% of our promotions are internal, depending on role and level. We’re setting a new goal of hiring internally for 90% of all our retail leadership roles within three years.  We want to create more meaningful career opportunities for you and your teams with a clear path to management and leadership. That means an increased focus on internal development, training and mentorship so that we can promote from within more often.

Today’s announcements reinforce our commitment to our retail partners and to making Starbucks a great place to work for every partner. Core to this is our continued commitment to belonging. We’ll lead with three principles:

1. Fostering an inclusive, equitable, accessible, and diverse workplace where all perspectives are valued.
2. Ensuring fair and competitive hiring practices that encourage opportunities for all.
3. Prioritizing inclusivity in hiring and leadership support.

Our journey continues.

Sara Trilling, evp, president, North America
Sara Kelly, evp, chief partner officer