Starbucks on Fast Track with Military Hiring Commitment

Company Offers Active Military and Veteran Employees Opportunity to
Extend a Tuition-Free Education to Spouse or Child Through Starbucks
College Achievement Plan

  • Starbucks Hires More Than 5,500 Veterans and Military Spouses,
    Surpasses Half-Way Mark in Commitment to Employ at Least 10,000 by 2018
  • Company Announces Plans to Reach 30 Military Family Stores near U.S.
    Military Bases in 2016, a Unique Store Concept Managed by Veterans and
    Military Spouses Committed to Connecting Veterans and Families to
    Community and Transition Resources
  • Active Duty Service Members, Veterans and Military Spouses Honored on
    Veterans Day in Stores across the Nation with Free Coffee, Veterans
    Starbucks Card in Partnership with the USO and Coffee Donations to
    Troops Serving Overseas

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) today announced a significant
hiring milestone and investments to further bridge the gap between the
military and civilians since only 12
percent
of the U.S. public understands the service and sacrifice of
the one percent who have served.1 The company has hired more
than 5,500 veterans and military spouses, surpassing the halfway mark to
reaching its commitment made in 2013 to hire 10,000 by 2018.
Additionally, to better address the needs of partners (employees) who
are active duty or reservists in the U.S. Armed Forces or National
Guard, Starbucks announced a new pay-for-service-benefit, which will
cover up to 80 hours of pay each year for service obligations.

As a company that already offers a tuition-free education to eligible
U.S. partners through the Starbucks
College Achievement Plan
, the company also shared today that it is
providing partners who are current or former members of the U.S. Armed
Forces with an additional tuition-free education to extend to a spouse
or child. More than 4,000 partners already take advantage of this
education benefit in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) to
earn a bachelor’s degree with 100 percent tuition coverage. ASU, with
nearly 4,200 veterans and 1,000 military family members enrolled at the
university, also demonstrates a strong commitment to veterans and
military families through scholarships and the Pat Tillman Veterans
Center and has been named one of the nation’s “Best for Vets” colleges
by the Military Times.

“We have a responsibility as a nation to honor our veterans and their
families for their service and sacrifice, but it goes beyond saying
thank you – we must put our thanks into action and collectively help
those who are making the transition from military to civilian life,”
said Starbucks chairman and ceo Howard Schultz. “Not only do we have a
moral duty to engage veterans once they leave the service, we know that
doing so in a meaningful way will ultimately strengthen our nation.”

Starbucks has invested in several key strategies to scale hiring across
the nation:

  • Hired four dedicated military recruiters in key focus cities across
    the country including Seattle, D.C. and Austin
  • Established more than 80 connections with military bases, installation
    transition and educational offices across the country and overseas
  • Attended more than 200 military hiring fairs across the nation that
    recruit veterans and military spouses
  • Expanded the partner affinity group, the Starbucks Armed Forces
    Network, from one to 12 regional chapters, connecting veterans and
    creating mentorships across the company to ease transition from
    military to civilian life

To further accelerate hiring and reconnect military service members with
the broader communities, Starbucks continues to expand its unique
Military Family Store concept in partnership with veteran and military
service organizations near U.S. military bases. Military Family Stores
are run by veterans and military spouses and partner with organizations
like Blue
Star Families
, Team
Red, White and Blue
, The
Mission Continues
, the
USO
and others, to offer transition services and build connections
between military and civilian communities. The company has already
dedicated 16 Military Family Stores with plans to dedicate a total of 30
across the country by the end of 2016.

In addition to building a pipeline of employment opportunities for
transitioning veterans and military spouses, Starbucks is creating
connections for these individuals with both civilian and veteran
networks for improved reintegration through Military Family Stores,
military service organization relationships and other initiatives
including:

  • Military
    Mondays
    : This program provides a venue where advocates and
    veterans can meet at Starbucks to address a variety of transition
    barriers. In partnership with William and Mary Law School, Starbucks
    hosts a Military Monday clinic in a Williamsburg, VA store where
    veterans and military families can benefit from free legal advice,
    with six additional Military Monday clinics currently in development
    and plans for a total of 20 clinics in Starbucks stores across the
    country.
  • Dog
    Tag Bakery
    : Starbucks is working with this D.C.-based
    nonprofit that seeks to educate and train newly-transitioned veterans
    with disabilities to become entrepreneurs, and is currently offering
    Dog Tag Bakery Baguette Chips as part of a test in 25 D.C.-area
    Starbucks stores.
  • Convening
    Thought Leaders
    : In the spirit of learning from others, last
    month, Starbucks and the Schultz Family Foundation co-hosted a day of
    discussion around the military and civilian drift, convening
    employers, veteran service organizations and the military community
    with the goal of activating, strengthening and connecting these
    efforts to support transitioning veterans and their families. This
    network of companies, nonprofit organizations and the military are
    collaborating on a blueprint to bridge the military civilian drift
    together.

“It is more important than ever to re-energize the national dialogue
surrounding the nation’s armed forces to inspire and influence business,
government, nonprofit leaders and the general public to get involved,”
said former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. “In doing so, our nation
has the opportunity to define a new vision for veterans and their
families to feel valued for their service, supported through their
transition to civilian life and build a stronger connection to family,
home and country.”

Starbucks recognizes veteran and military spouse partners through
patriotic aprons, which are the iconic green apron that feature an
American flag and the partner’s military affiliation. The company also
has an Honor Wall in the Starbucks Support Center that features
thousands of military coins, representing the veterans and military
spouses who have been hired as part of the company’s military
commitment. In addition to honoring partners and customers who have
served our nation through coffee donations to active military stationed
overseas, Starbucks provides opportunities for customers to honor the
military through November 11, 2015, including:

  • Starbucks Veterans Card: Available for purchase in select
    stores and on starbucks.com/card
    through November 11. Starbucks will donate $5 to the USO
    Transition 360 Alliance
    with every purchase, helping service
    members and their families transition to civilian life.
  • Starbucks Veterans Mug: Available for purchase in select stores
    featuring an inscription on the inside, “proudly serving those who
    serve,” giving customers the opportunity to demonstrate military pride.
  • Coffee Donations: For every Starbucks VIA® Instant purchase
    made on starbucks.com/shop
    (U.S. only), the company will make a matching donation of Starbucks
    VIA® Instant to the USO for delivery to active duty service members
    stationed around the world. U.S. partners also will have the
    opportunity to donate the weekly free coffee mark-out benefit, which
    will be shipped to the USO for distribution to troops.
  • Free Coffee on Veterans Day: As a gesture of the company’s
    appreciation for the military community’s sacrifices and
    contributions, active duty service members, reservists, veterans and
    military spouses are invited to enjoy a free tall-brewed coffee on
    Veterans Day.

“Those leaving the military deserve the very best support as they plan
to reintegrate into their communities. When Americans complete their
military service, the USO is there to support the transition back to
civilian life,” said Lisa Anastasi, USO Chief Development Officer.
“Partners like Starbucks play an important role in supporting our
efforts and enriching our nation’s workforce. With our combined
commitment to the USO Transition 360 Alliance, we strive to help the
nearly half a million service members and their military families who
start the process of transitioning out of the military each year.”

About Starbucks
At Starbucks, our mission is simple and
powerful: To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup
and one neighborhood at a time. Coffee is at our core, the heart of what
we do every day, but we are also committed to redefining the role and
responsibility of a public company. Since 1971 we have offered customers
the highest quality Arabica coffee, while driving shareholder value
through the lens of humanity. With more than 23,000 stores and more than
300,000 partners in 68 countries around the globe, we believe that we
are uniquely positioned to use our scale for good. To share in the
experience, please visit us in our stores or online at news.starbucks.com and Starbucks.com.

About the USO
The USO strengthens America’s military service
members by keeping them connected to family, home and country,
throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations
worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service
members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort,
and support. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a
government agency. Our programs, services and entertainment tours are
made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners
and the dedication of our volunteers and staff. To join us in this
important mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.

1 Blue
Star Families 2015 Annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey

Contacts

Starbucks media relations
Laurel Harper, 206-318-7100
press@starbucks.com

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