Empowerment in Coffee Communities and Equal Opportunity: Starbucks Guatemala Commemorates International Women’s Day

• From recruiting to growth opportunities to equitable pay, Starbucks Guatemala is committed to promoting equality in all its processes.
• As part of Starbucks Community Promise, The Starbucks Foundation aspires to positively uplift 1 million women and girls in coffee, tea and cocoa-growing communities around the world by 2030.
• Through an Origin Grant from The Starbucks Foundation, the Wakami Foundation launches an expanded program to support women and girls in coffee-growing communities in Guatemala.

Guatemala City, Guatemala - From ‘the first 10 feet’ on the farm to ‘the last 10 feet’ at Starbucks stores, and at key points in between, women have always played a crucial role in the coffee business and its future. Starbucks has a long history of working with coffee and tea origin communities to address their most critical needs. 

For this reason, within the framework of International Women's Day, Starbucks is proud to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to gender equality, in all aspects of its business, and the empowerment of women in communities.

Currently, 52% of partners in Guatemala are women. Likewise, leadership in the market exhibits significant women representation, with 53% women in leadership positions, including roles in the support team, store managers and supervisors.

“From the heart of our operations to the communities in which we are present, we are committed to the advancement and equality of women. On this International Women's Day, we renew our commitment to work tirelessly to create a world where all women have equal opportunities to prosper and reach their maximum potential,” said Sophia Quijada, Operations Leader of Starbucks Guatemala.

Market & Global Impact

In 2018, The Starbucks Foundation a goal of empowering 250,000 women and girls in coffee-, tea- and cocoa- growing communities by 2025. However, thanks to partnerships with nonprofit organizations around the world, this goal was achieved in 2022, three years ahead of schedule. Driven by the transformative impact of empowering women and girls, The Starbucks Foundation has set a new goal to positively impact 1 million women and girls in these communities by 2030.

The Starbucks Foundation’s 2024 Origin Grant to the Wakami Foundation will provide women and girls in coffee-growing communities with spaces for personal and social growth and opportunities as well as advance opportunities for women to diversify their businesses to create additional income streams and economic resilience.

"It is crucial and thrilling to build upon the foundation established through our collaboration, as our experience has shown that sustainable coffee arises when families are resilient, and the resilience of families is a direct outcome of empowered women's efforts," said María Pacheco, President of Wakami Foundation.

Since 2005, The Starbucks Foundation has invested over $25 million through its Origin Grants program, making a difference in the lives of women, their families and their communities through programs that promote women’s leadership, create economic opportunities and expand access to clean water and sanitation (WASH) for women and girls across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

To learn more about The Starbucks Foundation’s Origin Grants program, visit: https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/the-starbucks-foundation/

About The Starbucks Foundation

The Starbucks Foundation strengthens humanity by transforming lives across the world, with a focus on enabling community resiliency and prosperity and uplifting communities affected by disaster. Established in 1997, The Starbucks Foundation is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization under U.S. law.

About the Wakami Foundation

Wakami Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, partners with female artisans from rural Guatemalan communities facing challenges in establishing stable income sources for their families. Our core mission is to foster opportunities enabling our community to realize their dreams, facilitating intergenerational shifts that break the cycle of poverty and foster prosperity.