Starbucks to briefly close all Canadian stores on June 11 for bias training
Posted May 4, 2018 11:49 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Starbucks Canada will briefly close all Canadian stores on June 11 for bias training.
The coffee giant’s US division has a similar training session planned for employees at all of its 8,000 American stores on May 29.
“On Monday, June 11, 2018, we will close all our company-operated stores and offices across Canada for a portion of the afternoon, for partners to participate in a training session designed to address implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion, and ensure everyone inside a Starbucks store feels safe and welcome,” Starbucks Canada said in a statement Friday.
The closures and training sessions come after two black men were arrested for sitting at a Philadelphia Starbucks without ordering on April 12.
Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, both 23, said they were waiting at the coffee shop to meet a third man about a potential real estate opportunity.
Instead they ended up being led out of the coffee shop in handcuffs after a store manager called police.
After spending hours in jail, they were released and no charges were filed.
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Video of the arrests went viral, and sparked a nation-wide discussion on racial profiling.
Nelson and Robinson have since settled with the city for a symbolic $1 each and a promise from officials to set up a $200,000 program for young entrepreneurs.
Starbucks announced it had reached a financial settlement with the men. The amount was not disclosed.
Starbucks also agreed to pay for their college educations.