Starbucks: bans BLM emblems for employees

Vanilla Mocha please……. make it a venti.

URL = https://finance.yahoo.com/news/starbucks-dress-code-and-plans-to-create-250000-shirts-speaking-out-again-systemic-racism-133106893.html

Starbucks (SBUX) announced on Friday it would allow employees to wear apparel in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, bowing to an intense social media campaign even as the company moves to crank out over 250,000 specialty shirts of its own.

This week, Starbucks was hit with online backlash and renewed calls for a boycott, following reports that it has banned employees from wearing pins and t-shirts at work in support of Black Lives Matter protests.

However, the reason for the policy is pretty technical, despite accusations to the contrary. To address the issue, Starbucks is planning to crank out hundreds of thousands of apparel items in support of a movement demanding change — but will also let its employees wear their own gear immediately.

“As we talked about earlier this week, we’re designing new t-shirts with the graphic below to demonstrate our allyship and show we stand together in unity,” Starbucks executives wrote in a letter to employees entitled “Standing together against racial injustice.”

The note added: “Until these arrive, we’ve heard you want to show your support, so just be you. Wear your BLM pin or t-shirt. We are so proud of your passionate support of our common humanity. We trust you to do what’s right while never forgetting Starbucks is a welcoming third place where all are treated with dignity and respect.”

‘Designed for partners, by partners, our Starbucks Black Partner Network and allies created the t-shirt to recognize the historic significance of this time. Together, we’re saying: Black Lives Matter and it’s going to take ALL of us, working together, to affect change,’ Starbucks executives wrote in a memo on Friday.View photos
‘Designed for partners, by partners, our Starbucks Black Partner Network and allies created the t-shirt to recognize the historic significance of this time. Together, we’re saying: Black Lives Matter and it’s going to take ALL of us, working together, to affect change,’ Starbucks executives wrote in a memo on Friday.
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The company’s ban on personal apparel wasn’t specifically crafted for Black Lives Matter, nor did it recently take effect. Instead, a long-standing dress-code among Starbucks employees — known internally as “partners” — states that clothing accessories need to be company-issued, and can’t “advocate a political, religious or personal issue.”

According to a weekly update sent to baristas obtained by BuzzFeed News, store managers recently asked Starbucks leadership about employee requests to wear pins or t-shirts supporting Black Lives Matter. The memo pointed to Starbucks’ dress code, which states:

“Partners may only wear buttons or pins issued to the partner by Starbucks for special recognition or for advertising a Starbucks-sponsored event or promotion; and one reasonably sized and placed button or pin that identifies a particular labor organization or partner’s support for that organization, except if it interferes with safety or threatens to harm customer relations or otherwise unreasonably interferes with Starbucks public image. Pins must be securely fastened. Partners are not permitted to wear buttons or pins that advocate a political, religious or personal issue.”

According to the bulletin, Starbucks’ head of diversity and inclusion accused “agitators who misconstrue the fundamental principles of the Black Lives Matter movement — and in certain circumstances, intentionally repurpose them to amplify divisiveness.”

A spokesperson told Yahoo Finance in an email that “Black lives matter, and Starbucks is committed to doing our part in ending system racism. We respect all of our partners’ opinions and beliefs, and encourage them to bring their whole selves to work while adhering to our dress code policy with a commitment to create a safe and welcoming Third Place environment for all.”

250,000 t-shirts underway
Barista Sarah Dacuno, left, is embraced by assistant manager Lindsey Pringle outside the Pike Place Market Starbucks, commonly referred to as the original Starbucks, as they prepare to close it for the day Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Seattle. The first Starbucks cafe was located nearby in the early 1970’s. Starbucks closed more than 8,000 stores nationwide on Tuesday to conduct anti-bias training, the next of many steps the company is taking to try to restore its tarnished image as a hangout where all are welcome. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)View photos
Barista Sarah Dacuno, left, is embraced by assistant manager Lindsey Pringle outside the Pike Place Market Starbucks, commonly referred to as the original Starbucks, as they prepare to close it for the day Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Seattle. The first Starbucks cafe was located nearby in the early 1970’s. Starbucks closed more than 8,000 stores nationwide on Tuesday to conduct anti-bias training, the next of many steps the company is taking to try to restore its tarnished image as a hangout where all are welcome. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
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According to BuzzFeed, some Starbucks partners expressed disappointment that Black Lives Matter attire isn’t permitted at work under the dress code. Those quoted in the article specifically pointed out that many employees wear buttons for LGBTQ rights, which were issued by Starbucks.