Starbuck’s CEO Just Made A Shocking Announcement That Has Christians Standing Up For Their Faith

[Skidmore]

http://qpolitical.com/starbucks-ceo-just-made-a-shocking-announcement-that-has-christians-standing-up-for-their-faith/#.VRofETBVBSY.facebook

Starbucks has always been very intentional in vocalizing their support of legalizing same-sex “marriage.” Recently, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, made a startling announcement at their annual shareholder meeting in Seattle, Washington.

During the meeting, founder of Corporate Morality Action Center, Tom Stobhar, expressed concerns about the company’s support of homosexual marriage. He explained that the company’s stance affected shareholder earnings after Starbucks backed efforts to legalize same-sex “marriage” last year. The company’s announcement had resulted in boycotts against the billion-dollar coffee franchise.

Trobhar stated,

“In the first full quarter after this boycott was announced, our sales and earnings — shall we say politely — were a bit disappointing.”


Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz, promptly rebounded after Trobhar and replied,

“Not every decision is an economic decision. Despite the fact that you recite statistics that are narrow in time, we did provide a 38% shareholder return over the last year. I don’t know how many things you invest in, but I would suspect not many things, companies, products, investments have returned 38% over the last 12 months. Having said that, it is not an economic decision to me. The lens in which we are making that decision is through the lens of our people. We employ over 200,000 people in this company, and we want to embrace diversity — of all kinds. If you feel, respectfully, that you can get a higher return than the 38% you got last year, it’s a free country. You can sell your shares in Starbucks and buy shares in another company. Thank you very much.”

[hifiguy]

1. That is gonna leave a mark.

[upaloopa]

2. A good one I think

He said if you don't like Starbuck's policy of inclusion invest somewhere else. I like it.

[Takket]

26. Maybe they could invest in Indiana. That's going well lol

[Skidmore]

4. Yup. I hope so.

Now tomorrow I'm going to buy myself a Starbucks treat and pay for one for someone in line.

[calimary]

15. Now THAT is a great idea! Think I'll do so too!

[proverbialwisdom]

19. The sales slump had nothing to do with this type of investigative reporting?

http://foodbabe.com/2014/09/02/drink-starbucks-wake-up-and-smell-the-chemicals/
http://foodbabe.com/2014/08/25/starbucks-pumpkin-spice-latte/
http://foodbabe.com/2012/07/18/sabotaged-at-starbucks/

That would make the other issue a disingenuous ploy. Of course, I don't know which it is.

[druidity33]

39. thanks for those links. nt.

[octoberlib]

46. The Food Babe is the Jenny McCarthy of food.

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2015/02/12/the-food-babe-there-is-just-no-acceptable-level-of-any-chemical-to-ingest-ever/



Hari's approach capitalizes on growing consumer distrust of both Big Food companies and their unfamiliar, industrial-sounding ingredients, and of regulators' ability to oversee them effectively. Some of these chemicals and additives may indeed be questionable, but food scientists would argue that nearly all are safe. So why do food companies respond to her demands, if they have nothing to hide?

Because, Gorski writes, "companies live and die by public perception. It's far easier to give a blackmailer like Hari what she wants than to try to resist or to counter her propaganda by educating the public."

Critics note that Hari lacks credentials in nutrition or food science; she's a former consultant who studied computer science. Hari declined to be interviewed for this story; through her publicist, she told NPR she isn't speaking to media until her new book is released in February. But when the Charlotte Observer asked her about such criticisms, Hari answered, "I've never claimed to be a nutritionist. I'm an investigator."

But that lack of training often leads her to misinterpret peer-reviewed research and technical details about food chemistry, nutrition and health, says Kevin Folta, a professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida and vocal online critic of Hari. "She really conflates the science," he tells The Salt.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/12/04/364745790/food-babe-or-fear-babe-as-activist-s-profile-grows-so-do-her-critics

[Blanks]

54. ...or the Mike Adams of food activism...

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Foodbabe.com

For anyone familiar with naturalnews.com the anti-science site.

[proverbialwisdom]

55. Read about food served to undergrads at Ivy League schools including those w "food chemistry" depts.

Last edited Tue Mar 31, 2015, 10:30 PM - Edit history (2)

http://www.yale.edu/dining/menu/index.html
http://www.princeton.edu/us/dining/sustain/purchase/
http://www.dining.harvard.edu/residential_dining/diningatharvard.html

Look for FARM TO TABLE programs. Keep in mind that both organic and at least some kosher certified foods (Apple K Kosher Certified and Star-K Kosher Certified) are non-GMO.

These programs are very much more in line with Vani Hari than not, and that's absolutely great. Sorry, no dice.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

59. Wait, what?

Kosher is non-GMO? So anything labeled kosher might as well have the GMO-free label as well? That's an interesting thing to know, thanks.

[proverbialwisdom]

60. Apple K Kosher and Star-K Kosher Certified products are required to be GMO-free.

Last edited Tue Mar 31, 2015, 10:17 PM - Edit history (2)

http://www.loc.gov/law/help/restrictions-on-gmos/israel.php

In the United States, the Natural Food Certifiers (NFC) Organization, announced that its Apple K Kosher Certification Program would no longer accept applications for products that contain GMOs.(25)

MORE: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/restrictions-on-gmos/

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Regulation/Star-K-adds-non-GMO-certification-to-its-kosher-and-organic-audits

Star-K adds non-GMO certification to its kosher and organic audits
By Caroline Scott-Thomas, 17-Apr-2012
Star-K Kosher Certification has begun providing triple inspections to certify plants and products as non-GMO, organic and kosher, which it says can save companies time and money on individually conducted inspections.

Posted previously here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6418862


MORE: I had and lost (browser crashed) a fascinating link to an official Israeli government webpage (which I'll continue to look for when I have time) which stated that GMO crops are NOT permitted in Israel, although imported foods may contain GMOs and a great deal of biotech research is ongoing in the country. It detailed discussion over whether GMOs are kosher, and described the consensus among religious experts that if present in minuscule quantities (as additives) they are a nonfactor, although some disagreed. URL was ".il"

[proverbialwisdom]

67. I edited the post to only what I could verify.

I don't know what percentage of Kosher certified foods are Apple K Kosher Certified and Star-K Kosher Certified.

If you look into this, please post. Isn't it noteworthy, assuming the link is up-to-date, that GMO crops for commercial use are not permitted in Israel: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/restrictions-on-gmos/israel.php

[proverbialwisdom]

58. And, by the way, she bridges the gulf between peer-reviewed studies and the public. Read PEW/NRDC.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023705099

http://www.pewhealth.org/projects/food-additives-project-85899367220
http://www.pewhealth.org/other-resource/pew-examines-gaps-in-toxicity-data-for-chemicals-allowed-in-food-85899493633

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mmaffini/_chemical_name_cas.html

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_28286.cfm
"about 10,000 (synthetic) chemicals allowed in food products ~ 43% of which have been deemed GRAS."

Laugh all you want about that, or not.

[SidDithers]

62. The Food Babe!!!...

Eclipsed only by Andrew Wakefield, in the who's-got-less-credibility sweepstakes.

So it's only natural that you'd be promoting her at DU.

Sid

[jmowreader]

64. Vani Hari is Joe Mercola's alter ego

[Spitfire of ATJ]

68. Starbucks "Holiday Blend" tastes like over-roasted beans. (AKA: burnt)

[AllyCat]

83. A guy in my town that roasts his own coffee (and it's delicious) told me SB over-roasts

their beans on purpose. He said coffee can take on subtle flavor changes from even a few seconds difference in roasting times depending on the type of bean, water content, etc. SB didn't want any difference in flavor. They wanted a cup in Paris to taste exactly the same as it does in LA. So they overroast for consistent flavor.

I have always thought ALL of their coffee tastes burnt. But in a pinch (i.e. traveling where I cannot find a local roast or shop), that is the place. But I have to put cream in it.

[Raster]

89. There is a reason we call it Char-Bucks in the Emerald City.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

90. Right now, I'm drinking Folgers out of a perculator.....

That thing can make it strong enough to double as paint stripper.

[arikara]

71. I've never heard of her, but the way she's scaring the boys

she must be doing something right. I see she's compared to Jenny McCarthy, Mike Adams AND Andrew Wakefield farther down the thread.



Edited to add Mercola too.

[Ikonoklast]

91. She has no credentials whatsoever. Her understanding of science is nil.

Taking advice from her is just as valid as taking advice from a random street person.

[fishwax]

3. The "Christian News" article is from two years ago

(I agree that the CEO's statement is pretty excellent, though.)

[Skidmore]

5. Still doesn't hurt to get the message out.

And encourage others to do the same.

[fishwax]

45. Here's a video of it -- it's pretty great

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/video/c1eDBjYTo4LXS3IoL7s_pSdNyONvOFwF?autoplay=1

I took issue a bit with the source in the OP (like the fact that they put the marriage part of gay marriage in quotes and that the original source for the article was the "Christian News" article (which is yet more offensive). But I didn't mean to sound snarky about it. I agree with you that it's an event worth publicizing/revisiting.

[Rex]

14. Never heard of it before, so it is new news to me.

[fishwax]

47. I added a video of the CEO's response in post 45. It's definitely a nice retort.

[hopemountain]

74. then this would be prior to the food babe's

investigations and her articles about additives/chemicals in starbucks' drinks.

[betterdemsonly]

6. What so shocking about it

He has supported gay marriage for a long time?

[silverweb]

7. Confirmation:

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Because Qpolitics is a conservative rag that posts this as real news (from Borowitz, but they obviously don't "get" satire), I decided to find a more reputable source for the OP.

Here it is, from this Forbes article.

You're welcome.

[teach1st]

8. They get the satire, I think

I told them on Facebook that their piece on Obama banning Ted Cruz from Obamacare was taken from a Borowitz satire piece in The New Yorker, and posted the link. My post was deleted within fifteen seconds.

https://www.facebook.com/politicalq/posts/1608454279441685

[silverweb]

32. Wow!

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]So it's very deliberate misinformation. Must say I'm shocked (not). A right-wing rag, for sure!

[The Wizard]

43. Satire and iony

are beyond the grasp of most Repubics. I read some of those FB posts. I once posted that obama signed an executive order removing the word gullible from the dictionary. The responses were frightening considering they're allowed to drive on our roads.

[Skidmore]

12. Did not know that. Thanks for the information.

[silverweb]

33. My pleasure.

[get the red out]

9. I'll drink to THAT!

Skinny vanilla late please!

[onecaliberal]

16. That is my drink too! I'll take a double.

[SoapBox]

10. Excellent!

[BrotherIvan]

11. That's how you beat them

ZERO tolerance for bigotry, racism, misogyny and hate. ZERO.

[JDPriestly]

13. K&R.

[LynneSin]

17. Reason Starbucks is tanking has nothing to do with their stance on Marriage Equality.

I mean that's nice and all.

But their product is shit.

Why would I want to buy coffee there when I can get a much better product from a local coffee shop? I know most progressives would just rather buy locally that go to McStarbucks.

I will say Starbucks is nice when I can't find any other coffee shop around especially when I get further away from the city but in the city, I can do way better than Starbucks. Buying Starbucks living in a city is like eating at Olive Garden while living in the city - who does that?!

[tishaLA]

18. I only eat at Olive Garden in Times Square nt

[LynneSin]

20. you are bad

massive flame wars have erupted over THAT one!

[Lochloosa]

28. Got the address....planning on visiting NY and am looking for good places to eat.

[tishaLA]

31. If you're lucky, you'll also find a place that serves

fried chicken breaded with corn flakes. Good luck!

[awoke_in_2003]

34. You forgot "while breast feeding"

[tishaLA]

36. You're right. Sorry. "While breast feeding...

my freshly circumcised son, who is dressed in a Michael Vick jersey."

[awoke_in_2003]

37. Now that's a home run. nt

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. Screw coffee shops. I can drink a better cup at home in my pajamas.

No desire.

[LynneSin]

24. and there's that too!

I like the social experience of my local coffee shop in Wilmington

[ScreamingMeemie]

25. The older I get, the less I am a fan of people in commercial settings.

It killed me to go downtown for jury duty last week.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

38. is starbucks tanking?

their stock doesn't reflect that. are you looking at some other indicator?

sP

http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/sbux/stock-chart?intraday=off&timeframe=5y&splits=off&earnings=off&movingaverage=None&lowerstudy=volume&comparison=off&index=&drilldown=off

[LynneSin]

44. Just reading the article and the guy in the article seems to think so

Who knows. There are some people who just prefer burgers from McDonalds and Coffee from Starbucks. The rest prefer flavor!

[ProdigalJunkMail]

48. well, i prefer my own here at home, for certain

i was just curious if there was some market indicator that i was missing... seems like they have been steady on the increase for at least the last 5 years with only hiccups here and there...

you know, now would be a GREAT time for a decaf cappuccino... think i'll make one!

thanks for the coffee idea! and have a groovy afternoon...

sP

[Bluenorthwest]

78. The guy in the article is an anti gay religious nut, the Starbuck's guy in the article points to a

38% return and invites the creep to to shop for a better investment. Also, this happened in 2013. I drink an organic, fair traded and locally roasted coffee which imports from specific farms. I pay $7.85 a pound for this which is a bargain compared to Starbuck's.
Starbuck's is for on the road, in the hinterlands. But they are also not tanking.

[marym625]

41. Both of my nieces worked at Starbucks

And in a few short years they had more in their 401k than I had after decades at large companies. They put themselves through school. They had management experience when they left for more intellectual endeavors

So I have no complaints

[RufusTFirefly]

50. + 10 gazillion

I'm really glad when marketing ploys also support fundamental civil rights. But they're still marketing ploys. And Starbucks is still killing local cafes.

I understand how it can be difficult to shop locally for a lot of things. Really I do. But when it comes to restaurants and cafes, it's relatively easy. And what if your town no longer has a local cafe? You can probably thank Starbucks for that.

[LynneSin]

51. That whole 'Race Matters' was about as stupid as 'New Coke'

I mean I think someone had a good idea but the method of approach was just wretched. But like another replier to my comment mentioned, Starbucks does take care of their employees so perhaps I shouldn't be too harsh. I am glad that when I get away from the city and can't find a decent coffee shop that I can at least find a Starbucks. I do like my cappucinos.

[Bluenorthwest]

81. This happened two years ago and you never heard about it. Some marketing ploy.

My town is coffee central. I buy my beans locally roasted and fair traded with organic farms with long term relationships to the roasters. This story still happened 2 years ago.

[George II]

65. The point of the talk by the CEO is that Starbucks is NOT tanking.

[ProfessorGAC]

21. 38% Return and Stobhar Finds Fault?!?!?

What an idiot. Of all the things to target, a 38% shareholder return is an indication that their social stance NEGATIVELY affected corporate performance? Duh!

[Jack Rabbit]

30. It's not an economic decision as far as Stobhar is concerned, either

He's more concerned that owning shares of Starbucks will land him Hell.

[ProfessorGAC]

76. You're Right, But. . .

. . .he's the one that said their actions in this regard are causing an economic and financial value problem, when in fact, that's provably false.

So, if it's not about economics, he should have used something else. But he didn't. He's an idiot.

[Aristus]

23. Ow! That had to HURT!

[sdfernando]

27. I am not a big Starbucks fan,

I much prefer Peets....but I will be stopping by any number of Starbucks for a morning Americano (extra shot please) at least once a week from now on.

[Cosmocat]

75. I hate the coffee

It just is too sharp for me, I prefer dunkin donuts.

But, I do like what they are doing here, and the failed race thing.

A counter to all the "conservative" bullshit at that level.

I might TRY to support them ...

[mstinamotorcity2]

29. Maybe I will

get a Latte. Don't like their regular coffee.

[Thespian2]

35. Not a fan of the coffee,

but tomorrow I will have to spend some money at the local Starbucks!

[marym625]

40. This is the stuff that makes me cry

If I ever have money, I'm buying Starbucks stock

[bvf]

42. Ouch!

Starbucks recently took a big PR hit with the race thing (ill advised, but well intentioned). Regardless of the relative currency of this story, I applaud the sentiment.

Now I can just dream of them leaving Indiana.

[Bluenorthwest]

80. This story is 2 years old, March of 2013.....

nt

[bvf]

82. I realize that.

That's why I phrased my response as I did.

Even if the story is old news, it was new to me, and I just wanted to weigh in with my approval.

[turbinetree]

49. Nice

when you basically tell some one to sit on it that's got to

[ladyVet]

52. Oh, bravo! I don't drink coffee, but if I did, it would be Starbucks. nt

[merrily]

53. A 38% return is just not enough for me, so make gays miserable and offend everyone but nutters.

Gee, why couldn't Schultz see the logic of that?

Obviously, it wasn't about money. It wasn't about religion either. You can debate the original Hebrew and Greek all you want. Nothing in the Bible requires anyone to make sure their city, state or nation passes homophobic laws.

So, what is this all about? IMO, control freakery. "It's not enough for me to obey what I think God says (assuming I even do that), I must flex my muscles and must make politicians and everyone else in America bend to my will. Not God's, mine."

[FreakinDJ]

56. Well said

That was the most polite "and the horse you rode in on" I've heard in a long time

[YOHABLO]

57. "Corporate Morality Action Center" Oh brother.

[SidDithers]

61. What the fuck is a Corporate Morality Action Center?...

Sounds creepy.

Sid

[samsingh]

63. good for him. i'm going to starbucks and buy some things.

[catrose]

77. Me too.

Think I'll say why too. There's one down the block from the Chik-Fil-A, where I never go.

[niyad]

66. Corporate Morality Action Center

(I think I am going to be quite ill)


Corporate Morality Action Center



The Corporate Morality Action Center was founded by Thomas Strobhar to address the great ethical issues of our day, especially as they apply to one of the most influential groups in our culture, corporations. Issues like abortion, the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman, and pornography are all affected by the actions of corporations and their owners, the shareholders.

The mission of the Corporate Morality Center is to inform people of the influence corporations have on these issues and, where appropriate, challenge companies that offend traditional moral norms.

Thomas Strobhar brings over twenty years experience of successfully addressing some of the largest corporations in America. Companies like AT&T, American Express, Berkshire Hathaway, Chase, Ford, General Mills, Microsoft, Target and others have all come to know his intensity and passion.

In addition, Mr. Strobhar has urged religious minded investors to refrain from investing in companies that promote and profit from human weakness through the sale of pornography. See the attached link where Mr. Strobhar, in a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) documentary, Hardcore Profits, explains Christian objections to pornography while the largest investor of Catholic funds in the world tries to defend their ownership of companies that sell the most offensive material imaginable.

. . . .

http://corporatemorality.org/?page_id=6

[SomethingFishy]

72. Thanks for the info...

Funny that they claim they are about "morals" but the only thing he was worried about was the profits.

[niyad]

84. you noticed that too. funny about the hypocrisy there.

[DonCoquixote]

69. ouch

it is not an economic decision to me. The lens in which we are making that decision is through the lens of our people. We employ over 200,000 people in this company, and we want to embrace diversity — of all kinds. If you feel, respectfully, that you can get a higher return than the 38% you got last year, it’s a free country. You can sell your shares in Starbucks and buy shares in another company. Thank you very much.”

Keep in mind, Starbucks is NOT the most ethical of companies....it is toyr classic socially liberal, economic conservative, with the CEO funding groups to "reform" socialsecurity. Thast beinsg aid, to even utter the idea of somethign NOT being decided by economics in this day and age is as dangerous as Copernicus implying the earth is not flat.

[2banon]

70. Oh, I think this just might boost profits in the next quarter after that statement!

good on Starbucks! I'm a Peet's fan myself, but you know, I just may give Starbucks a bit of my patronage after that!

[Bluenorthwest]

79. This story is 2 years old, March of 2013.....

The headline is old, it did not 'just' happen.

[Badass Liberal]

73. Mic Drop!

God bless companies with a progressive conscience.

[F4lconF16]

86. They're not progressive.

In the slightest. They will say nice things in public lile this, but they are anti-progressive to the core: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/08/how-starbucks-grinds-its-workers.html

That's one among many numerous ecological, labor, and other concerns.

[Badass Liberal]

87. Sigh...

Well that's too bad they didn't pass your personal purity test. But they are to most rational liberals.

[F4lconF16]

88. The statement was great.

I'm glad they did it. But it doesn't mean much if they don't follow it up with actions. I want to make it clear that despite this, they are still a horrible company. If saying something nice but doing another is considered progressive, then I guess I'm not one anymore, and nor would I want to be.

[F4lconF16]

85. Sorry, but I won't give them credit.

Starbucks, like Walmart, does not care about human rights. They care about profit. They don't want the loss of sales that come with boycotts. It's very easy to say something that sounds nice like this, and then use it as a cover while they continue to treat their workers like shit. Same goes for most of the big companies that have come out against the law--seriously, does anyone think Walmart really cares? It's the same for most of these corporations. Call me back when they make substantial changes.