Starbucks will now permit its workers to wear attire that expresses solidarity with the ongoing demonstrations nationwide that began after Floyd’s death last month in Minneapolis police custody. Additionally, the company will distribute T-shirts and pins for employees to show their support for the protesters.
Although Starbucks has expressed on its website its support for Black Lives Matter, an internal note obtained by BuzzFeed News and circulated earlier this week said employees were prohibited from wearing anything that expressed sympathy for the movement.
The memo was sent after employees asked about wearing such apparel to support the movement. At the time, corporate leaders had distributed apparel celebrating LGBTQ rights for Pride Month, noting that it was sanctioned by the company.
“There are agitators who misconstrue the fundamental principles of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement — and in certain circumstances, intentionally repurpose them to amplify divisiveness,” the statement read, according to CNN.
When the story originally posted by BuzzFeed went viral, customers on social media began calling for boycotts of the coffee chain.
The company is now designing new T-shirts in support of the movement, according to a publicly shared letter to employees. Starbucks will produce and distribute 250,000 shirts with a design that says “Black Lives Matter” and “No Justice, No Peace” to workers in the company’s cafés in the United States and Canada, according to CNBC.
The letter stated: “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.”
In a statement to Newsweek Friday, the company said, “Starbucks stands in solidarity with our black partners, community and customers, and understands the desire to express themselves. We continue to listen to our partners (employees) about how they want to take a stand for justice, while proudly wearing the green apron and standing united together.”
A post shared by Starbucks Coffee â (@starbucks) on Jun 12, 2020 at 6:51am PDT
In early June, Starbucks donated $1 million to organizations that promote “racial equity and more inclusive and just communities,” according to CNBC.
This story has been updated with a statement to Newsweek from Starbucks.
