“When you put the whole picture together, recycling is the right thing to do.”
— Pam Shoemaker, Author
In the years ahead of 2005 the push for sustainability on global level is significantly promoted and highlighted as compare to the years before 1996. Sustainability idea is really been impressed in majority of the sectors of food, construction, manufacturing industry, in education sector at all levels even at schools etc mostly by the governments in west, non- profit organizations, pro-environment organizations.
By highlighting the benefits of sustainability and its significance for the future of planet and upcoming generation, it does influences industries practices, public opinion and in return people do their utmost towards sustainable practices implementing in their daily life and public also highly support companies by purchasing their products who believe in sustainable products and sustainability idea itself.
Starbucks as a brand and its products which include range of hot and cold beverages etc are known all over the world. The company provides a welcoming environment in their cafes to their customers all over the world. To strive for sustainability and promote company image and reputation amongst its customers , Starbucks most used item is cups in which they provide the beverage and it has taken into account that these cups are massive waste contributing factor to the environment, it does not help in anyway the brand for sustainable image they want to project.
In order for Starbucks to reduce the environmental impact and progress towards sustainability is: they have to develop recyclable cup solutions and increasing customers use of reusable cups. In 1997, they introduced a hot cup sleeve to eliminate the popular practice of double-cupping. In 2006, Starbucks developed paper cups manufactured with 10 percent post-consumer recycled fiber, the first cup of its kind in the food packaging industry.
They also introduced a more recyclable cup lid in 2016 which allowed the cup to be more widely accepted. They are also aiming for complete reduction of plastic straws from their 29,000 stores worldwide by 2020, eliminating more than 1 billion straws a year and replacing lightweight, recyclable straw less lid, with paper or alternative material straws available for blended beverages. In 2020 Starbucks is testing a prototype cup with a biodegradable liner in some of its stores. The prototype cup is recyclable and compostable, and it could allow Starbucks to move away from the plastic cup liners that adhere to paper cups, keeping the cups from leaking but making them difficult to recycle.
By taking such initiative on cups which is product and represents brand and due to its huge volume’s usage, Starbucks has taken the right direction towards a sustainability and made right assessment about the steps need to be taken for becoming a sustainable brand with sustainable practices. Starbucks officials have said in articles their bond with customers has much more grew due to company sustainability commitment, through ads Starbucks highlighting sustainable initiatives they are taking customers are more pro-choice for no plastic cup consumption, customers themselves bringing their own mug to do their best to help environment.
Sustainability has become an essential topic due to global warming changes around the world and big industries are involve in this matter. These companies contribute in people life all over the world and if they take such initiative ,it spurs a debate among public itself and then they do evaluate themselves at some point and come to a question “what they can do or how they can spend their life in sustainable manner to make earth a better place”. With Starbucks taken such initiative have further improved their name as brand, their image in public support, increased customers base. In this world if any company /brand gives you a sustainable product and show their effort for it, it automatically motivates you as individual to do you part. Such bond of customer and company sharing and motivated for better environment is really needed now and possibilities are endless.
