Starbucks promises 100% pay equality across globe after hitting landmark in US

by XPRESS, 22 March 2018

The company said at its annual meeting it would achieve and maintain 100% equal pay for all its employees, known as partners, who perform similar work in company-operated markets.

It did not give a timeline for the goal, which includes countries such as the UK, France, Canada, Japan and China.

Starbucks revealed it had already hit the landmark target in the US. Starbucks chief partner officer Lucy Helm said: “It is important as a company of our scale to bring more attention to this critical issue. It is incumbent on us to do more.”

In January, Starbucks expanded its parental leave to give non-birth parents up to six weeks paid time off.

It also announced paid sick days for the first time and wage increases after a US corporate tax cut.

The company also reiterated its target to increase earnings, excluding some items, by at least 12% annually over the next three years.

It confirmed its goal to return $15bn to shareholders during the same period.

To help sales, Starbucks said it was focused on expanding its premium Reserve brand with new Princi stores and Roastery locations.

It pointed to a new marketing push to build “digital relationships” with its more than 60 million monthly customers who aren’t rewards members.

It will open mobile order and pay to those who aren’t in its loyalty programme this month.

Starbucks said it remained on track to open more than 5,000 stores in China by 2021.

The number of stores in China has grown from 800 to 3,200 in the past five years. Meanwhile, one year after its commitment to hire 100,000 “opportunity youth” – the one in eight Americans aged 16 to 24 who aren’t in school or working – Starbucks revealed it had reached 50,000 hires and was on track to meet its goal by 2020.

Article credit: Propel info