Hi there,
I am an Idea Partner here at Starbucks working in the marketing department. I do have another role here in the company and that is being the co-president of the Starbucks Access Alliance (SAA). The SAA is a great network of people here at Starbucks whose mission is to promote equal access for all partners and customers. We connect with each other around disability issues and keep the concept of accessibility and universal design at the forefront of our daily work.
As I was going through the site and saw the Your Employees idea, it got me thinking about how proud I am to work for Starbucks. This isn’t the first time I have heard a story similar to this one. What really strikes me is that this company has a lot of soul and simply sees people as human beings.
We hear about a variety of groups that like to meet in our stores. Everyday we are trying to improve their Starbucks experience and implement a more universal store design. Take our lowered hand off planes as an example. It makes picking up your drink easier for everyone, including people who use wheelchairs, people of short stature, and the baristas handing you your drink too.
Last month each of the stores received a Braille and Large Print version of the “Make It Your Drink” brochure. They are in every one of our stores across the U.S.
I must say that I am very proud to work at Starbucks and I am excited to see what we will do in the future. We know we have done some great things but there is still a long way to go…
Thanks again for sharing!
Leigh