Starbucks Chile recognized for commitment to LGBTQ+ Community

• The company obtained the highest rating in the Fundación Equidad CL of the Human Rights Campaign annual report,  based on initiatives to promote inclusion in the workplace
• Starbucks Chile is recognized for the second consecutive year for its efforts to enhance LGBTQ+ equality throughout the Southern Cone region (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay)

Santiago, Chile - For the second consecutive year, Starbucks Chile, operated by licensed retail operator Alsea, was recognized by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) Equidad CL as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. The company was included in the fifth annual report HRC Equidad CL: Global Workplace Equality Program, which assesses LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion in the workplace among employers in Chile.

The HRC Equidad CL report and survey were launched in 2019. Today, the report is a leading benchmark in South America with over 150 companies evaluated. Companies are assessed on their adoption of non-discrimination policies, creation of employee resource groups or diversity and inclusion councils, LGBTQ+ training and education, and participation in public activities to support LGBTQ+ inclusion. Starbucks earned the highest possible rating in the report.

“Starbucks Chile remains committed to building a culture where everyone is welcome. As a company that embraces inclusion and diversity, we are proud to stand as an ally and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community,” said Claudia Aburto, director of Starbucks South Cone. "We are honored to be recognized alongside several other companies championing employment policies and practices that create a more equitable and inclusive environment, and we look forward to continuing our efforts in the rest of the South Cone markets."

Promoting a Culture of Inclusion

Since the opening of its first store in Santiago in 2003, Starbucks has set out to be a different kind of company: one that champions its Mission and Values and is rooted in providing a Third Place that is welcoming to everyone. Core to the company’s Mission and Values is ensuring that Starbucks is an inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible company – a place where all are welcome, and all partners feel a sense of belonging:

• Diversity Policy - In 2020, Starbucks Chile launched a diversity and inclusion policy within the organization in order to promote safe spaces, free of discrimination, where everyone feels welcome.
• Training Programs – In 2021, to foster a collaborative work environment, Starbucks Chile hosted a series of training programs and open dialogues with partners to provide them with the skills and tools needed to thrive in diverse teams while educating them about matters of discrimination in the workplace.
• Gender-neutral Bathrooms – Working in partnership with Chilean advocacy group, Pride Connection, in 2021 the company implemented gender-neutral restroom signage in all its stores across the market.
• Ads For Good Program – To increase awareness of inclusion and diversity topics in the community, in 2021 Starbucks launched the Ads for Good Program. This traveling exhibition of creative pieces made by advertising students from Chile, Argentina and Uruguay invites community members to reflect on inclusion and diversity topics, addressing them as relevant social challenges for the community. This year, 15 pieces will be exhibited in different Starbucks stores in Chile.
• Selenna Foundation Partnership – In an alliance with Fundación Selenna – Chile’s only school for transgender students – Starbucks launched the "Academy of the Future" program whereby Starbucks Chile partners (employees) volunteer to engage with future college graduates around career exploration and financial independence. In addition, through a Global Community Impact Grant from The Starbucks Foundation in 2022, Fundación Selenna is working to provide 250 transgender youth with training, resources and a welcoming space for positive engagement and inclusive communities.

To learn more about Starbucks Chile’s inclusion and diversity commitments, go https://www.starbucks.cl/.