Starbucks Celebrates Ten Years in Korea With a Passion to Create a Better Future for Local Communities

Jul 28, 2009
The Company Announces Starbucks ™ Shared Planet™ Local Goals and the First Three Beneficiaries of Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ Youth Action Grants in Korea
 

SEOUL, July 28, 2009 – In commemoration of its 10th year anniversary, Starbucks Coffee Korea (SCK) celebrated its passion for coffee and dedication to Korea by revealing initiatives that are set to create a better future for the communities that it serves. The company announces several local Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ goals as a commitment to support the company’s overall global responsibility targets. Starbucks is also proud to partner with three local non-profit organizations to support passionate young people in their community efforts through the Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ Youth Action Grants.

The celebration event was held at the first Starbucks store in Korea on Ewha Womans University Street, which has been remodeled with unique local and green design elements to reflect Starbucks passion for coffee, the local community and the environment. Joining the event were Martin Coles, president – Starbucks Coffee International; Dorothy Kim, senior vice president – Starbucks Global Strategy; Mercy Corrales, president – Starbucks Coffee Asia Pacific; Seock Koo Lee, president – Starbucks Coffee Korea, Myung Shin Lee, representative from World Vision, as well as customers and partners (employees).

“We would like to thank our Korea customers and partners for embracing Starbucks over the past 10 years,” said Lee. “We are proud to be serving customers in approximately 300 stores in 35 cities everyday, which offer us opportunities to work together in positively contributing to communities in which we operate.”

“From the neighborhoods where our stores are located to the regions where our coffee is grown, we believe in being involved in the communities we’re a part of,” said Coles. “The Starbucks Shared Planet local goals will continue to challenge us to be a better company while reaffirming Starbucks leadership in the retail and coffee industries in Korea. I’m proud of what we’re doing in Korea to live up to the core values of Starbucks.”

The specific goals Starbucks Coffee Korea plans to achieve by the end of 2010 in support of the company’s longer-term goals include: 
•Achieve 12,000 partner volunteer hours
•Support 3 Youth Action Grant projects
•Ensure 100 percent of paper and plastic cups are recyclable
•Reduce water and electricity usage by 5% in stores
•Achieve 30% of mug usage in stores
•Significantly increase customer awareness of Starbucks work with fair trade certified farmers and the availability of their coffees

As a key step toward achieving its community involvement goals, the company also announced the first Starbucks Shared Planet Youth Action Grants in Korea that will benefit the following programs:
•The National Association of Children Welfare Center for its on-line teacher training program
•World Vision School for its “Global Citizenship” program
•Citizen’s Institute for its “Environmental Studies” initiative

In October 2008, the company announced its global Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ goals that it has set out to achieve by 2015 in the areas of community involvement, environmental stewardship and ethical sourcing including:
•Contribute over 1 million hours of community service per year and support young people through Starbucks Shared Planet Youth Action Grants.
•100% of its cups will be reusable or recyclable, and Starbucks will significantly reduce its environmental footprint through energy and water conservation, recycling and green construction.
•100% of its coffee will be responsibly grown, ethically traded, up from the current 77%.

To learn more about Starbucks™ Shared Planet™, visit www.starbucks.com/sharedplanet.

About Starbucks Coffee Korea
Starbucks Coffee Korea opened its first store in Ewha Womans University on July 27, 1999. Today Starbucks Coffee Korea operates over 300 stores in 35 cities throughout Korea. For more information, please visit us in our stores or online at www.istarbucks.co.kr.

About Starbucks Coffee Company
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.