Attention Starbucks Investors: Take a Stand Against DEI

The Free Enterprise Project has an important proposal on the ballot of this week’s Starbucks shareholder meeting.

The proposal would require Starbucks to conduct an audit to determine the extent to which its “Partner Networks” (what are usually called Employee Resource Groups at most companies) are discriminatory, and in particular, discriminatory against employees arbitrarily deemed “non-diverse.”

In other words, should Starbucks continue to be able to offer groups for black employees but not white employees, and LGBTQ employees but not straight employees?

Additionally, our friends at the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) are presenting a proposal at Starbucks that requests a report on the congruency between the company’s actions and its human rights policy, given the company’s actions in China.

We also encourage you to vote against every director nominee up for election to the Starbucks board of directors, and we strongly encourage voting against, in particular, the election of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to Starbucks’ board.

ACTION ITEMS

Before the Wednesday meeting, Starbucks investors are encouraged to vote:

• FOR Proposal 5 (Report on Direct and Systemic Discrimination), which seeks to audit to what extent the company’s “Partner Networks” are discriminatory.
• FOR Proposal 6 (Report on Human Rights Policies), which seeks to audit the Company’s actions in China against its Human Rights Policy.
• AGAINST Proposal 1 (Board’s Director Nominees), which nominates 11 board-recommended directors to the board.