Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity Program (C.A.F.E.) - Essay Example

Examining the Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity Program (C.A.F.E.) Practices program Introduction Environmental sustainability is a major building block in business currently with environmental characteristics changing rapidly and threatening human existence. Many companies have embarked on strategies that will make their businesses improve the lives of the people. Starbucks has not been left behind and has also joined the campaign to make the livelihood of the people better through the Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity Program (C.A.F.E.) practices program. Environmental care and sustainability form the basis of a positive society, a fact clearly reflected through C.A.F.E. (Moog et al, 2003). This program ensures that the coffee firm outsources its raw materials in a sustainable way that safeguards the lives of the farmers and the environment. Through this program, Starbucks gives back to the community through developing their lives and making them self-reliant and empowered. However, this program does not work in isolation. The initiative works in similar dynamics like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) initiative in two main dimensions (Schepers, 2010, p.287). First, they both empower civil organizations in regulating the activities of their jurisdictive organizations. More so, they help in achieving line sustainability missions for the people in their areas of operation. This paper compares the two initiatives in terms of the two main areas of similarity in order to know their effectiveness. The extent to which civic groups (NGOs) are empowered as regulatory actors Both initiatives have hugely empowered the civil groups as regulators in their social responsibility plans. First, they have done so by outsourcing some of the services from the civil groups. Starbucks, for example, has outsourced the carbon sustainability area to SCS Global, which sets the standard for their carbon sustainability limits. SCS Global is also tasked with setting the standards for other sustainability initiatives that are undertaken by Starbucks in order to ensure that the organization is acting within correct limits of sustainability. On the other hand, according to Dacy (2009, p.12), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has outsourced their initiatives to social groups in the United Kingdom that deal with forest initiatives and school in order for them to help in regulating the level of sustainability that they push into the forestry. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has also outsourced to government sponsored forest rehabilitation centers to enhance the scope of sustainability of the initiative (Knudson, 2007). Both initiatives have empowered civil groups as regulators through reporting their progress to these groups for checks and balances. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is planning to launch the project certification film to enhance the quality and frequency of recording its developments for the sake of the social groups. Previously, the council has relied on the social groups to take videos that they used to report on their progress and seeking support on the initiative. However, the need for quality films has grown and the numbers of social groups that demand feedback from the council have also increased. This has pushed the organization to consider professional films to report more quality information to the social groups (Timmerman, 2013). The council also provides field progress and research films to the social groups. On the other hand, Starbucks also provides recordings of their progress annually to ensure that they are complying with the certified green products guide that is provided by the SCS Global. The coffee firmis expected to follow the standards that are set by the social group due to the prowess of the group in handling environmental and economic matters over a period of experience and practice. Starbucks also sends captions of their initiative progress to the social groups to build their trust and support to their initiatives. Moog et al (2003), states that the civil groups are empowered as regulators in the initiatives through survey reporting. Survey reporting involves development of reports with findings from surveys on how to enhance the programs or make the lives of the people better (Angelstam et al, 2013, p.229). Starbucks enhances survey reporting through feasibility reports on improvement of the program submitted to SCS Global. One of the regulatory policies that have been enforced by SCS global is that the companies that operate with the group must always seek creative methods to widen their initiatives and reach more people across their areas of operations. Starbucks endeavors to widen the areas of sustainability that they benefit the environment, which they undertake through surveys and feasibility research. The environmental leadership feasibility report, for example, was submitted to SCS Global in order for it to be certified and placed within the legal bounds of the group. This was later developed into the environmental leadership strategy, which is regulated by SCS Global. On the other hand, Forest Stewardship Council also submits survey reports to collaborating groups and schools (Fattig, 2010). The FSC Global Market Survey Report, for example, was submitted to the collaborating groups in order for them to check that the plan to venture in a new sustainability area was viable and in line with the bigger plans of the groups. Feasibility reporting has helped the social groups to certify, reject, legislate, or change initiatives of the two groups ahead of their launch. This gives the social groups legislative control over the activities of the council and Starbucks (Lee, 2008, p.12). The social groups offer certification for the operation of the council and Starbucks in their sustainability plans. A certificate shows that an organization has the power to operate in a particular area. The Non-Governmental organizations possess global goodwill to operate in particular areas and power to enter into contracts with third parties in these areas (Moffat, 1998). The council and Starbucks have benefitted from this liberty as they have attained certificates to work on different areas. Starbucks was issued the Responsible Forestry Certificate that regulates the operations the organization undertakes on plants and the environment as a whole. The disclaimer of the certificate defines forestry as all the green component of the environment. This means that SCS Global has successfully regulated the actions of Starbucks on the environment through issuance of this certificate. Acceptance to operate within the limits of the certificate indirectly show acceptance to be regulated in their environmental activities by SCS Global. The certificate allows, among other issues, that Starbucks will undergo an annual review of their activities in relation to forestry to ensure that there is maximum compliance with the regulations. The Forest Stewardship Council has also been issued with the same certificate by SCS Global. Essentially, according to Moog et al(2003), both Starbucks and Forest Stewardship Council are regulated in their forestry operations by SCS Global meaning the social organization has achieved legislative power in the sustainability plans (Moffat, 1998). The Propyzamide Derogation Consultation certification attained also shows the commitment of the council to promoting the position of the social organizations in legislative matters. The extent of success of the initiatives Moog et al (2003), notes that quality products have been developed through the initiatives of both the council and Starbucks. There have been numerous efforts to enhance the quality of the forest products, conserve the environment and improve the lifestyles of the people. Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices has succeeded in improving the quality of coffee through ethical practices in the engagement of the organization with the owners of the raw materials (Northey, 2007). The owners of the raw materials ensure that the quality of produce is high because they are ethically answerable to the organization. On the other end, the company is answerable to the social groups about the activities that it undertakes and the effects that they have on the lives of the people. The organizations engage in quality control hence the company has an obligation to maintain high quality. The Forest Stewardship Council offers very little in terms of tangible products to the people. The quality improvement brought by the council can only be measured through the aggregate results that its activities produce. They include the balanced economic and environmental conditions in Britain. The country has been credited for the positive improvement in the climate hence the Forest Stewardship Council is successful in its endeavors. There is increased economic accountability and transparency through the initiatives of the council and Starbucks (Moog et al, 2003). Forest Stewardship Council insists on increased forest conservation among the people. Different initiatives by the council are geared towards ensuring that the citizens undertake ethical forestry activities (Gulbrandsen, 2005). Cutting down trees without replacement is a trend that the council strongly opposes through its agenda to maintain a green environment. The March 21st is the International Day of Forests has been set aside to enlighten people on the forests and the importance of encouraging conservation of the trees for a better life among the population. The council has also ensured that the people can speak out and account for their actions on the forests through creation of rapid communication channels with the forests agencies in managing their activities. The feedback sessions help in creating transparency in the environmental operations of the people and making them responsible and accountable for each other’s actions on the forests (Eng, 2007). The council has also developed ambassadorial positions where people are selected to champion for forest conservation and protection across the United Kingdom. According to Loyd, Jackson and Gaulden, (2002, p. 77), Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices have also undertaken huge steps in ensuring accountability and transparency in production as there is a unitary belief that this highly contributes to maintaining quality. The brand of the organization is largely built on quality. The suppliers are encouraged to produce evidence of the support that they get on promoting the environment in which they undertake their activities towards development of quality products from Starbucks. The organization boasts of transparency hence the payments made to famers are transparently shared with no payment kept secret from the other people. More so, there is increased activity in the farms and personal farming activities of the farmers that are not quantifiable in terms of cash. The farmers are also encouraged to reveal the fringe benefits that they get through accountability campaigns. Starbucks allows the social organizations to audit the activities that they engage in for the betterment of the lives of the consumers thus the initiative maximally achieves its goals. There is increased corporate social responsibility through the efforts of Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices and the Forest Stewardship Council (Moog et al, 2003). The Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices are formed on the basis of the sustainability principle which requires that the organization should do well to the soil and the farmers who produce the coffee for them. This has formed the basis of corporate social responsibility for Starbucks and other organizations dealing with farmers in the country. The Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices has launched practices that will support the long-term productivity of the farms in order to create them as constant supply chains to the business (Clements, 2006. The organization ensures that the farms are kept more fertile by providing fertilizer to the farmers. The organization also provides the farmers with other inputs that boost farming practices and improve their farms. The organization provides replenishment seeds to the famers to keep their farms fresh and give excellent produce throughout their farming activities. Precisely, the organization undertakes all the activities to ensure that the farmers can produce more quality products in the unforeseeable future. On the other hand, the Forest Stewardship Council has also undertaken numerous activities to enhance corporate social responsibility actions of the organization. First, the organization has launched forest conservation systems that ensure every household is responsible for the environment around them. Through sponsorship of the school competitions and functions, the initiative has managed in bringing in young stakeholders to engage in environmental management platforms in order for them to play an active role in conservation of the forests. There is a strong belief among the stakeholders that younger people can help in sensitization of the older generations thus their increased involvement is geared towards such an initiative. The Forest Stewardship Council has launched a three step plan in the activities of the households in Britain. Whenever one undertakes an activity that is likely to affect the forestry in the country, they must ensure that the activity complies with this criterion (George, 2001). First, it must be environmentally appropriate. The activity must protect the natural inhabitants of the area and their home in the natural environment mainly made up of the forestry. Second, the activity must be socially beneficial. This means that it must respect the rights of the workers and the people within vicinity of the action. Otherwise, the activity is considered destructive. Third, the activity must be geared towards economic prosperity. Any activity that is undertaken on the forests of the land must not only leave the forests greener but also leave the lives of the people better. Economic prosperity is heavily regarded in the United Kingdom hence the lives of the people must be made better irrespective of their involvement in the activity. On parallel sides, the Forest Stewardship Council has helped in promotion of responsible management of forestry worldwide while The Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices have promoted environmental leadership among the farmers. Forestry leadership is part of environmental leadership although it focuses on the forests as a major element of the environments. The forests are prime factors in the quality of the environment. However, it is not deniable that the forests form a building block for major actions. The Forest Stewardship council ensures that conservation of forests takes center stage in all environmental activities (Theodore, 2007, p.32). However, the approach is personal and intuitive. The council has generated a culture of personal responsibility for all forestry actions undertaken by the people. The council has ensured that the people are their watchdogs in the environmental quest. On the other hand, The Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices has enhanced promotion of corporate responsibility towards the farmers, the plants and the soil. This is the aggregate concept of environmental leadership. Elder, Lister and Dauvergne (2014, p.88) notes that Environmental leadership means that the farmer and his or her environment must be better after all the harvesting and economic activity is done. This promotes to positive development in the farming activities of the people as they have assurances that they will be boosted after their hard work. Conclusion Many companies have embarked on strategies that will make their businesses improve the lives of the people. Starbucks has also joined the campaign to make the livelihood of the people better through the Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity Program (C.A.F.E.) Practices program.SCS Global is also tasked with setting the standards for other sustainability initiatives that are undertaken by Starbucks in order to ensure that the organization is acting within correct limits of sustainability. On the other hand, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has outsourced their initiatives to social groups in the United Kingdom that deal with forest initiatives and school in order for them to help in regulating the level of sustainability that they push into the forestry. 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