Link to Article (1): http://www.starbucks.com/assets/1d7de46ff5f845d89c01a81bebdbdb59.pdf
Link to Article (2): http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197692
Link to Article (2): http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197692
When I saw that the topic of blog posts this week consisted of Disability Rights I got very excited because of my experiences at Starbucks. Up until this summer, I was a barista at Starbucks back home in Milwaukee and at the State Street store in Madison. As a little piece of background, Starbucks is much more than a local coffee shop, but a company that strives to better the community and interactions between partners and customers. Most people think Starbucks is just a typical coffee shop, but behind the scenes is much more complex.
At Starbucks on State Street, there is one employee who has Down syndrome, who we will name Callie. She comes into work twice a week and works on many cleaning and stocking tasks around the store. The community that the manager on State Street has made is incredible and ensures that this employee i accepted and appreciated every time she walks in and out of the store. Callie does have a job coach that will sit in the store and read a book or finish other tasks while she is finishing at work. This was a very different and interesting experience for me when she first walked into work, but Callie is so independent and hardworking. She never fails a task and is always looking for something to do or talk about with other partners. Having this experience really changed my preconceived views of Down syndrome that I had before and opened my eyes to a new understanding of the spectrum of disability.
The Global Human Rights of Starbucks states under requirements that, “Starbucks promotes, protects, and helps ensure the full and equal enjoyment of human rights by all persons, including those with disabilities. Starbucks will not tolerate any behavior or actions within the core values of the company, nor is such conduct authorized by Starbucks employees, including managers.” People would typically look at this and act as if no one would actually abide by those laws or be submissive towards them because they want the most successful store. The difference with Starbucks is that this global rights initiative starts with the CEO, Howard Schultz. Schultz has created a precedent to be the best you can be within the company and give back to the community that has given back so much to you. Because Schultz has made this a priority, it creates a chain reaction to each manager, partner, and customer to develop a family.
I am extremely fortunate to have been able to see this firsthand with Callie and ensure that she is part of my Starbucks family. Her work ethic has enhanced my knowledge on working with partners with disabilities and how to work with them properly. I believe that every business should have those with disabilities working in their offices to give everyone this knowledge. All companies should initiate a disability rights section of their manuals and give everyone an equal opportunity in the workforce.
At Starbucks on State Street, there is one employee who has Down syndrome, who we will name Callie. She comes into work twice a week and works on many cleaning and stocking tasks around the store. The community that the manager on State Street has made is incredible and ensures that this employee i accepted and appreciated every time she walks in and out of the store. Callie does have a job coach that will sit in the store and read a book or finish other tasks while she is finishing at work. This was a very different and interesting experience for me when she first walked into work, but Callie is so independent and hardworking. She never fails a task and is always looking for something to do or talk about with other partners. Having this experience really changed my preconceived views of Down syndrome that I had before and opened my eyes to a new understanding of the spectrum of disability.
The Global Human Rights of Starbucks states under requirements that, “Starbucks promotes, protects, and helps ensure the full and equal enjoyment of human rights by all persons, including those with disabilities. Starbucks will not tolerate any behavior or actions within the core values of the company, nor is such conduct authorized by Starbucks employees, including managers.” People would typically look at this and act as if no one would actually abide by those laws or be submissive towards them because they want the most successful store. The difference with Starbucks is that this global rights initiative starts with the CEO, Howard Schultz. Schultz has created a precedent to be the best you can be within the company and give back to the community that has given back so much to you. Because Schultz has made this a priority, it creates a chain reaction to each manager, partner, and customer to develop a family.
I am extremely fortunate to have been able to see this firsthand with Callie and ensure that she is part of my Starbucks family. Her work ethic has enhanced my knowledge on working with partners with disabilities and how to work with them properly. I believe that every business should have those with disabilities working in their offices to give everyone this knowledge. All companies should initiate a disability rights section of their manuals and give everyone an equal opportunity in the workforce.