Starbucks is here to celebrate and make people with disability feel acknowledged, including the ones who are deaf. Celebrating National Deaf Day, Starbucks in Indonesia continues to commit to upholding a culture where inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility are valued and respected. With the opening of their first Signing Store on December 3rd, 2022 – on the same day on commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities – Starbucks continues to nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection.
Our Employees are Partners
“We call our employees ‘partners’ because we are all partners in shared success. We make sure everything we do is through the lens of humanity—from our commitment to the highest-quality coffee in the world, to the way we engage with our customers and communities to do business responsibly,” said Anthony McEvoy, leader of PT Sari Coffee Indonesia – official license for the Starbucks brand in Indonesia.
In connection with National Deaf Day this year, Anthony also added about the commitment made by Starbucks to provide an equal work environment for all its employees. “We are committed to upholding a culture of appreciation and respect for inclusion, diversity, equality, and accessibility. “Since the opening of the Starbucks Signing Store Tata Puri at the end of December 2022, we have continued to open access for all people from the Deaf community to be able to gather at our store and also create an equal work environment for all partners,” he added.
Equal Growth Opportunities for All Partners
At this special moment, one of the Deaf baristas at the Starbucks Community Store Tata Puri outlet, Chelsy Prilia Sitohang, expressed her pride and gratitude for being a historic part of Starbucks in Indonesia. “I am very grateful and happy because Starbucks has given me the opportunity to have a career and develop as a person despite the limitations I have,” said the barista who is also a former para-athlete. “I hope we can grow together and Starbucks can also provide wider opportunities for Deaf communities out there, so that more people can get valuable opportunities like this,” she added.
Continues Commitment
It doesn’t stop there; Starbucks also has plans to open a second Signing Store outlet in the near future. “This outlet (Tata Puri) is the first Signing Store outlet in Indonesia, but certainly not the last because we will continue to open opportunities for Deaf friends out there who have great potential,” explained Anthony who emphasized Starbucks’ commitment in Indonesia to present Signing Store outlets are both in other locations.
Starbucks has a long commitment of investing in the communities it serves worldwide. Celebrating its 21st anniversary, Starbucks has expanded to more than 50 cities in Indonesia, with more than 5,500 partners who are proud to wear the green apron. And today, the company offers many ways for customers to connect with their loved ones over a high-quality cup of Starbucks coffee. In its mission to make a difference in the lives of those connected with Starbucks, the company also strives to make a positive impact in the communities it serves. In 2020, Starbucks opened its first Community Store in the Jakarta Tanah Abang neighborhood, to create educational opportunities for young people in Tanah Abang, followed by the Starbucks Creative Youth Entrepreneurship Program (SCYEP) in supporting youth empowerment.
