There’s something new at Starbucks, but it’s not on the menu and it doesn’t cost a dime.
The GOOD Sheet, a weekly “graphical exploration of some of the major issues facing us in this election season and beyond,” appeared in all Starbucks nationwide yesterday.
The goal of the GOOD Sheet is to stimulate conversation during this all-so-important election season regarding real issues that really matter.
It’s being produced by the folks at GOOD, “a collaboration of individuals, businesses and nonprofits pushing the world forward.” Their website, videos and magazine are at once visually and intellectually stimulating. I’ve subscribed to GOOD magazine for over a year now and have enjoyed some fascinating articles regarding the environment, health care, China, education and more.
Issue No. 001 focuses on Carbon Emissions. Here’s the inside spread:
Distributing GOOD is a wise move for Starbucks:
- By encouraging conversation among customers here (and on MyStarbucksIdea.com), the company is creating community online and off
- It reinforces the Starbucks’ commitment to Social Responsibility—The company supports Conservation International, the Earthwatch Institute, the American Wildlife Foundation, Save the Children and MercyCorps
- This costs them nothing—they are created by GOOD and funded by a sponsor
The GOOD Sheets will be available for the next 11 weeks.
All this GOOD can’t hide the fact that Starbucks stock has been in sad shape for a few years now.
Do you believe social good can play a role in helping the company rebound?
Comment below to weigh in.
That is not just good Patrick – that is GREAT! Not enough good news around.
I hope the local stores will continue to distribute Eastside Business and Eastside Life newspapers, especially since we never print anything negative.
Absolutely, social good can play a role in helping the company rebound. However, Starbucks has to overcome a lot of skepticism and make its commitment to social good more sincere and transparent. For instance, while a number of companies source 100% of their coffee from fair-trade sources, Starbucks gets only a small fraction (and if memory serves me right, charges more for the fair-trade lines). Plus of course they are seen, rightly or wrongly, as squeezing out independents in many places (not Seattle, though!).
I’d *love* to see Starbucks sign the Business Ethics Pledge!
http://www.business-ethics-pledge.org