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Starbucks promotes itself as a sustainable coffee company, noting on its website that “our success depends on healthy ecosystems and thriving farming communities.” In 2020, the company announced a commitment to cut carbon emissions and water use in half by 2030 and to become a “resource-positive company, aspiring to give more than it takes from the planet.”
Needless to say, the company received extensive press coverage for these announcements. However, its latest impact report shows that its total emissions have increased since 2020. Now, the coffee giant says it is “actively reassessing” its emissions-reduction goal.
In the report, released on July 1, Starbucks said it was reassessing its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50%. The coffee giant said it’s looking at “the implications of emerging regulations, ongoing updates to relevant standards, and other developments (including headwinds that impose significant challenges for the achievement of the goal).”
As the report details, Starbucks reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions—those it emitted either directly or indirectly through its electricity and gas purchases—by 17% compared to its 2019 baseline. However, Scope 3, which includes indirect supply chain emissions such as shipping and green coffee, rose 8% over the same timeframe.
Because Scope 3 emissions account for 96% of Starbucks’ total carbon footprint, its total emissions have risen 7% since 2019. “We intend to continue to take action designed to manage our greenhouse gas emissions across our operations and supply chains, and to transparently report on our progress,” the company wrote.
Read more on the future of Colombia’s coffee fund from StoneX here.
Photo by Fernanda Fierro on Unsplash
