Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is encouraging baristas to discuss race relations with customers by launching the Race Together initiative.
Last year, Schultz followed companies like Chipotle who asked customers not to bring guns inside Starbucks stores, and he’s not afraid to get political once again.
Schultz says of the initiative, "We have problems in this country with regard to race and racial inequality and we believe we're better than this and we believe the country is better than this.”
“We at Starbucks should be willing to talk about these issues in America. Not to point fingers or to place blame, and not because we have answers, but because staying silent is not who we are,” he added.
Baristas have been encouraged to write the initiative’s slogan “#RaceTogether” on customers’ cups in order to strike up a dialogue that Schultz believe should be had.
Some do not agree with it, finding it difficult to believe strangers talking about racial tensions will do any good. Despite some backlash, the campaign will run full speed ahead with baristas being encouraged, but not required, to bring up these issues during interactions.
Starbucks has advertised Race Together in full-page ads in The New York Times and USA Today.
image via Twitter from Starbucks
image courtesy of Roger Wong/INFphoto.com