Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the notion that business companies have obligations to society beyond their economic obligations. In a way, CSR is the company's way of giving back to society and a way of being aware about the condition of the society and the environment. CSR is about how companies make profit, not how they spend them. It does not entail that the company should donate to charities or that they should use their profit on organizations with a positive cause. CSR is based on the idea that good business results to a good society. There are many companies that practice CSR today and one of them is Starbucks.
The fact that Starbucks practices CSR means that they greatly value business ethics. They do not only care about earning profit; they are also concerned with the satisfaction of the consumers, making sure that they create a comfortable environment and serve high-quality coffee that would make the customers smile. They care greatly for the farmers who produce their coffee beans as well. In the video, it was showed how a lot of coffee farmers are going out of business and that there are others with problems of overproduction. While this problem does not directly affect Starbucks, it has a very big impact on coffee farmers all over the world.
As a response to this problem, they developed a purchasing program called Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices in collaboration with Conservation International (CI). Through C.A.F.E. Practices, Starbucks can ensure that they are sourcing sustainably grown and processed coffee by evaluating the different aspects of the coffee production, including social, economic, and environmental aspects. In line with this, they show their commitment to their cause through responsible coffee purchasing practices, farmer support centers, loan programs, and forest conservation efforts. This does not only create a better future for coffee farmers, but also helps