The Wall Street Journal reports that Starbucks plans to sell 10-year bonds in order to raise $500 million "to pay for so-called sustainable projects, including support programs for farmers in coffee-growing regions ... underscoring the greater focus on environmental and social issues in corporate business practices."
The story notes that "the company already operates an agronomy center in a Costa Rica farm along with a network of eight farmer support centers around the world, and it had committed to invest $50 million in short- and long-term loans to farmers." Starbucks promised to issue annual updates about how the money is being invested.
The story notes that "the company already operates an agronomy center in a Costa Rica farm along with a network of eight farmer support centers around the world, and it had committed to invest $50 million in short- and long-term loans to farmers." Starbucks promised to issue annual updates about how the money is being invested.
- KC's View:
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The key phrase in the story is how this underscores "the greater focus on environmental and social issues in corporate business practices." This is what an increasing number of consumers want, and a standard against which an increasing number of companies will have to measure themselves. Which, I think, is a good thing.
