Starbucks has certified its 3,508 Greener Stores globally, expanding the program to 20 markets, with many first-in-market Greener Stores across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Greener Stores are just one example of how Starbucks is working to reduce its environmental impact and build a more sustainable future for its communities and the planet. This latest round of certifications sets the company well on its way to achieving its goal of 10,000 Greener Stores globally by 2025.
Starbucks Greener Stores Framework, co-developed with the World Wildlife Fund, includes a set of 25 performance-based standards across environmental impact areas such as energy efficiency, water stewardship, and waste diversion. Each Greener Store has a different combination of sustainable features that help it receive its third-party verification. Some stores have obvious elements like solar panels or water recycling tanks. While others have less obvious features behind the counter like high efficiency appliances, low-emitting paint and sealants, recycling tampers, and energy efficient HVAC temperature systems.
Daily practices by partners (employees) are also a key factor in Greener Store certification and many of the standards were influenced directly by partner ideas and feedback. A partner favorite in North America, the Starbucks Waste and Recycling App guides partners on how to best recycle, compost, and donate store materials and perishable food through Starbucks FoodShare program.
In the United States, Starbucks Greener Stores practices have saved the company almost $60 million in annual operating costs, including 30% water savings and 30% energy reduction when compared to historic store practices. In markets around the world, Greener Stores energy and water savings and waste diversion help advance the company’s goal to reduce carbon emissions, water usage and landfill waste by 50% by 2030.
“With a company of Starbucks scale – any one action, no matter how small, has the potential for massive impact,” said Michael Kobori, Starbucks chief sustainability officer. “I’m so proud to see our Greener Stores framework continue to scale for good globally. The program we have created will continue to move us closer towards our resource positive goals.”
Global Expansion of Greener Stores
Today, Starbucks announces Greener Stores for the first time in two new regions – Asia Pacific (AP), and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA)– as the company continues its global expansion of the Greener Store framework to leverage its scale for good to accelerate the global movement towards a more sustainable future. In addition, Starbucks is expanding in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) by building all new stores in the region under the Greener Stores framework by the end of 2023 and going forward.
“Thoughtful partnerships and continued collaboration are the key to a sustainable future,” Kobori. “Our own Starbucks partners’ energy and passion for sustainability has been a driving force to push us every day. They’re also core to the success of this program and the reason why we’ve seen great adoption of our Greener Store standards globally.”
