Starbucks Employees Empowered to Vote on Election Day

Once again Starbucks is stepping up and standing out according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. How this time Starbucks is giving all employees time off to vote on Election Day and supporting the right to vote for all in a new company-wide initiative called Fuel Our Democracy. Need I say more.  No, but I will.

Here is how it is going to work, Starbucks employees will work with their managers to “assure they have the tools and time” to register to vote, vote on Election Day or to vote via absentee ballot. The company is also working with nonpartisan voter coalition Civic Alliance to allow Starbucks employees to further engage in civic duties by volunteering at polling sites. Afterall you need workers in the stores so this flexibility should help each and every employee time to vote.

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, stated, “We know that barriers exist, notably in Black and Brown communities throughout the nation, that lend to systemic racism and require greater voter access and protections,” … “Through conversations between managers and nearly 200,000 partners, we’ll ensure you have the tools and the time necessary to register and cast your vote.”

Noe more thing, Starbucks will also be encouraging their employees to register to vote and to participate in the democratic process via an in-store and digital push in September, providing tools to help customers learn how to register to vote, and figure out both where they can vote in person and how they can vote via absentee ballot.

So, Starbucks launched a portal for employees (that’s also accessible to the public) called Starbucks Partners Vote that not only provides information on where and how to vote and how to volunteer at polling places, but also news and data on specific issues like police spending and reform, elder care, COVID-19 healthcare, and civil rights, provided by nonpartisan legislative news source, Countable News.

Starbucks Johnson continued “You will hear about us partnering with civil rights groups, non-profits, governments and first responders who share our belief that every single human being—including Black, Indigenous and people of color—feels safe, welcome and respected,” …“You’ll also hear about other ways we are further using our scale for good in the communities we serve. The bottom line being: Starbucks will not wait for change; we will make change of our own.”

The team at Foodservice Solutions® encourages all citizens eligible to vote to do so. If you are an employer, we encourage you to assist your employees find time to vote.  If you are an employee, we suggest you ask your employer before election day for assistance in getting time off or in getting a mail in ballot.