Beth Ann, manager, digital traceability program – Starbucks Support Center, Seattle

It wasn’t until I joined the Global Coffee team that I truly understood that Starbucks mission and values extend far beyond our offices, stores and local communities.  

Our commitment to ethical coffee sourcing and the standards we have in place through C.A.F.E. Practices are rooted in this strong belief and realization that the decisions we make as a company may have a direct or indirect impact on people and planet, and with that comes immense responsibility and accountability. It’s not lost on me how significant this commitment is given our scale. We source coffee from over 30 countries and nearly 425k farmers around the world! 

I like to refer to the Digital Traceability tool as “technology” with a soul because it’s grounded in our commitment to transparency. Customers should know where their coffee comes from, how it was sourced, and all of the hard work that goes into each cup. We’re creating space for every voice to be heard and human story to be told, from the first 10 feet to the last 10 feet and every step in between. When you can use the power of storytelling to change hearts and minds, it becomes so much more than a cup of coffee.