{"id":10367,"date":"2016-11-04T01:19:42","date_gmt":"2016-11-04T05:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/caffeine-headache-starbucks-responds-to-a-growing-threat\/"},"modified":"2016-11-04T01:20:59","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T05:20:59","slug":"caffeine-headache-starbucks-responds-to-a-growing-threat","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/caffeine-headache-starbucks-responds-to-a-growing-threat\/","title":{"rendered":"Caffeine Headache: Starbucks Responds to a Growing Threat"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Caffeine Headache: Starbucks Responds to a Growing Threat<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the global economy consumed approximately 150 million bags of coffee in 2015<a href=\"#_edn1\" name=\"_ednref1\">[i]<\/a>. As the world continues to realize the impacts of climate change, scientists have sounded the alarm on the future of coffee growing worldwide. Sensing the threat to its supply chain, it\u2019s no surprise that Starbucks, the world\u2019s coffee giant, is taking steps to mitigate the risk.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Coffee and the Climate<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Much of the scientific literature on the impact of climate change on coffee was compiled in a 2016 report by the Climate Institute. The findings point to three primary ways that climate change has threatened coffee production:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Coffee has a harder time growing at higher temperatures: <\/strong>coffee has adapted to very specific growing zones and even half a degree of temperature change can significantly damage plant health.<a href=\"#_edn2\" name=\"_ednref2\">[ii]<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Higher temperatures are more hospitable to pests that destroy coffee plants: <\/strong>warmer, wetter environments help coffee predators like the coffee berry borer thrive and wreak havoc on coffee crops.<a href=\"#_edn3\" name=\"_ednref3\">[iii]<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Changes in rain cycles have made it more difficult for coffee plants to succeed:<\/strong> the area suitable for coffee growing has shrunk as rain patterns have changed.<a href=\"#_edn4\" name=\"_ednref4\">[iv]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>The King of Coffee<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Starbucks, the world\u2019s largest purveyor of coffee products, realized the long-term industry threat posed by climate change. According to the company website, \u201cWe believe now is the time to increase our investments in solutions and strategies \u2013 both in our stores and at the farm level \u2013 that help tackle this crisis.\u201d<a href=\"#_edn5\" name=\"_ednref5\">[v]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Since 2004 the company has pursued an aggressive strategy based on 2 primary approaches:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Supply Chain Support:<\/strong>\n<ol>\n<li>Recognizing the impact that climate change currently has on the agricultural communities that supply its product, Starbucks has committed to working with farmers to implement \u2018climate-smart\u2019 best practices for growing coffee. They\u2019ve ensured that their Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) sourcing requirements include these standards.<a href=\"#_edn6\" name=\"_ednref6\">[vi]<\/a><\/li>\n<li>In 2013 Starbucks opened a new Global Agronomy Research and Development Center to study the necessary changes in farming practices and assist farmers based on their findings.<a href=\"#_edn7\" name=\"_ednref7\">[vii]<\/a> Starbucks works with its coffee growers around the world to implement findings and build a more climate-resilient supply chain.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Energy Consumption Reduction: <\/strong>\n<ol>\n<li>Starbucks tracks its total greenhouse gas emissions from stores, offices, and manufacturing plants. It has committed to reducing its total emissions by 25% through energy efficiency measures (like LEAD certification) and investing in renewable energy generation.<a href=\"#_edn8\" name=\"_ednref8\">[viii]<\/a><\/li>\n<li>The company has also taken an active role in public discourse on the topic of climate change by joining BICEP (Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy) as a founding member and signing on to RE100, an agreement to drive towards 100% renewable power.<a href=\"#_edn9\" name=\"_ednref9\">[ix]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>What\u2019s Next?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In recent years, Starbucks&#8217; commitment to reduce energy consumption has hit a snag as the company introduced hot food to its stores. The introduction of refrigerators and ovens has caused overall energy consumption to increase year over year.<a href=\"#_edn10\" name=\"_ednref10\">[x]<\/a> Starbucks should be more intentional about how its business decisions impact its overall environmental goals. Though introducing food has been helpful for the bottom line, the effect of this change should have been anticipated. Starbucks must work to mitigate the impact of food introduction and take seriously its commitments to reduce overall emissions. It is difficult to take seriously the pledges that Starbucks makes if it fails to live up to those obligations. Otherwise, this failure becomes a liability amongst climate-conscious consumers who would perceive Starbucks\u2019 previous efforts as corporate \u2018greenwashing,\u2019 not values-driven business management.<\/li>\n<li>Starbucks should leverage the special relationship that it has with its farmers to train other companies in how to manage agricultural supply chains. Many industries are similarly affected by the effects of climate change and since Starbucks is such a leader in the field, they should dedicate resources to the research of other significant crops and supply chain management guidelines that can be disseminated across organizations and industries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>653 words<\/p>\n<p>(Title image<a href=\"#_edn11\" name=\"_ednref11\">[xi]<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\">[i]<\/a> World Production, Markets, and Trade Reports, &#8220;Coffee: World Markets and Trade,&#8221; United States Department of Agriculture, June 17, 2016, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fas.usda.gov\/data\/coffee-world-markets-and-trade\">http:\/\/www.fas.usda.gov\/data\/coffee-world-markets-and-trade<\/a>, accessed November 04, 2016.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref2\" name=\"_edn2\">[ii]<\/a> Elisabeth Rosenthal, &#8220;Heat Damages Colombia Coffee, Raising Prices,&#8221; The New York Times, March 9, 2011, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2011\/03\/10\/science\/earth\/10coffee.html\">http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2011\/03\/10\/science\/earth\/10coffee.html<\/a>, accessed November 4, 2016.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref3\" name=\"_edn3\">[iii]<\/a> Juliana Jaramillo et al., &#8220;Some Like It Hot: The Influence and Implications of Climate Change on Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus Hampei) and Coffee Production in East Africa,&#8221; <em>PLoS ONE<\/em> 6, no. 9 (September 14, 2011):, <a href=\"http:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0024528\">http:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0024528<\/a>, accessed November 4, 2016.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref4\" name=\"_edn4\">[iv]<\/a>\u00a0Mar\u00eda Baca et al., &#8220;An Integrated Framework for Assessing Vulnerability to Climate Change and Developing Adaptation Strategies for Coffee Growing Families in Mesoamerica,&#8221; <em>PLoS ONE<\/em> 9, no. 2 (February 26, 2014): <a href=\"http:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0088463\">http:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0088463<\/a>, accessed November 4, 2016.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref5\" name=\"_edn5\">[v]<\/a> &#8220;Tackling Climate Change,&#8221; Starbucks Coffee Company, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.starbucks.com\/responsibility\/environment\/climate-change\">http:\/\/www.starbucks.com\/responsibility\/environment\/climate-change<\/a>, accessed November 04, 2016.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref6\" name=\"_edn6\">[vi]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref7\" name=\"_edn7\">[vii]<\/a> &#8220;Farmer Support Centers,&#8221; Starbucks Coffee Company, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.starbucks.com\/responsibility\/community\/farmer-support\/farmer-support-centers\">http:\/\/www.starbucks.com\/responsibility\/community\/farmer-support\/farmer-support-centers<\/a>, accessed November 04, 2016.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref8\" name=\"_edn8\">[viii]<\/a> Nanette Byrnes, &#8220;Starbucks Responds to Climate Change, with Mixed Results,&#8221; MIT Technology Review, 2016, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.technologyreview.com\/s\/601404\/starbucks-responds-to-climate-change-with-mixed-results\/\">https:\/\/www.technologyreview.com\/s\/601404\/starbucks-responds-to-climate-change-with-mixed-results\/<\/a>, accessed November 04, 2016.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref9\" name=\"_edn9\">[ix]<\/a> &#8220;Tackling Climate Change,&#8221; Starbucks Coffee Company, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.starbucks.com\/responsibility\/environment\/climate-change\">http:\/\/www.starbucks.com\/responsibility\/environment\/climate-change<\/a>, accessed November 04, 2016.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref10\" name=\"_edn10\">[x]<\/a> Nanette Byrnes, &#8220;Starbucks Responds to Climate Change, with Mixed Results,&#8221; MIT Technology Review, 2016, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.technologyreview.com\/s\/601404\/starbucks-responds-to-climate-change-with-mixed-results\/\">https:\/\/www.technologyreview.com\/s\/601404\/starbucks-responds-to-climate-change-with-mixed-results\/<\/a>, accessed November 04, 2016.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref11\" name=\"_edn11\">[xi]<\/a> @Wallpapersdsc, &#8220;Coffee Beans HD Wallpapers,&#8221; Wallpapers HD Free, 2016, <a href=\"http:\/\/wallpapersdsc.net\/other\/coffee-beans-27397.html\">http:\/\/wallpapersdsc.net\/other\/coffee-beans-27397.html<\/a>, accessed November 04.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The coffee king takes action in the face of serious long-term threats to its global supply chain. 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