Message from Howard - Politico

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Mar 7, 2016 - Youth, and students seeking debt-free college degrees. ... At a Partner Open Forum in Brooklyn, New York l
To: U.S. partners Date: March 7, 2016 Re: Message from Howard: Encouraging Civic Engagement Dear partners, For years, we’ve refused to be bystanders. More recently, many of you have reiterated just how important you feel it is to make a positive difference—in our company as well as outside our stores. At Open Forums in the U.S., India and China, partners have stood up and spoken candidly about their dreams, yes, but also about their worries. You’ve talked about inequality, homelessness, education, safety, food waste, your frustration with local and national governments, as well as the need for civil, constructive conversations. The issues that concern you go beyond what is good for our company to what is needed in our communities and countries. What I hear are not just the voices of Starbucks partners, but the voices of citizens. Citizens who care about their neighbors, not just their customers. Citizens who see complex problems, and care enough to find solutions. Citizens who refuse to be bystanders by joining me in asking, “What is our role and responsibility as a for-profit company, and as citizens in a wider world?” We’ve already attempted to answer these questions. For decades we’ve created meaningful connections with our customers and served communities. More recently, in partnership with likeminded organizations, we’ve come up with creative solutions that open doors for veterans, Opportunity Youth, and students seeking debt-free college degrees. We’re about to answer these questions once again by addressing a problem that many partners have identified as extremely important: increasing voter registration and participation across America. At a Partner Open Forum in Brooklyn, New York last month, I asked what Starbucks could be doing to elevate citizenship in our country. “Make people aware of the importance to vote,” said Fred Verillo, shift supervisor. “… I think that would be phenomenal.” When I asked other partners if they thought our stores should be involved in voter registration, hands went up. Today, I’m proud to announce that we are helping to make the voting process even easier for our partners. Over 60 percent of respondents to a 2014 U.S. Census Bureau Survey said they did not vote due to a variety of issues, including the registration process or forgetting to vote. To make it easier for you, we are making a digital tool from TurboVote accessible to all partners in the U.S. This tool makes registering to vote fast and secure from computers and mobile devices. Just visit the TurboVote site

and in a few minutes, you can register to vote and sign up for important reminders to stay informed about local and national elections throughout the year. If you need a registration or absentee ballot sent to you, we will also cover the cost of the mailings TurboVote sends you. To register to vote today, confirm your registration details, or sign up for reminders, visit turbovote.org. Making it easier for more partners to register and to vote is also a way we are demonstrating our support for the Bipartisan Policy Center’s initiative to improve the voter experience for all Americans. We are proud to partner with Marriott International, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on this multi-year effort to strengthen our democracy. This is not the first time Starbucks has addressed voting. In 2008 we raised awareness of Election Day with customers in our stores. In 2012, we celebrated National Voter Registration Day by providing our partners a way to register using a digital tool. But given that fewer than 60 percent of eligible voters casted ballots in the 2012 national elections, helping to increase voter turnout at the local and national level seems another meaningful way to use our scale for good. So, we will. It does not matter if you are a Republican, a Democrat or an Independent. Our intention is nonpartisan, and it is simple: by helping to increase voter registration and participation, we believe more people will have an opportunity to make their voices count. And it's not just about who will be the next occupant of the White House. More Americans should participate in all elections, even those for city councils and school boards. We will not stop here. Promoting the importance of voting is one way to elevate citizenship. Civic engagement and community service are also essential, and Starbucks is in a unique position to positively affect these areas as well. Soon, we will have more initiatives to share. I am so incredibly proud of your collective passion and engagement on this issue. Together, we will continue to make a difference—as partners, as voters, as citizens.

Onward, Howard

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