| Please register to receive the benefits of our network-wide features. |
Register (free) |
Log In
|
| Please register to receive the benefits of our network-wide features. |
Register (free) |
Log In
|
The livelihoods of more than 25 million people, most of whom are small-scale farmers in the developing world, depend on the coffee industry. The volatility in the futures market for coffee, however, has meant that the price per pound has frequently fallen below the cost thresholds for many producers, spelling uncertainty, hardship, financial collapse, and the breakup of families in search of work, particularly in Latin America.
A large coffee purchaser like Starbucks, which currently has nearly thirteen thousand stores around the world, has a huge opportunity to positively influence lives and economies through ethical business practices. In this opening keynote of the Socially and Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains conference at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, Willard Hay, Starbucks senior vice president, explains how the company embraces a responsible approach to suppliers as a core part of its business through its C.A.F.E. Practices program.
Willard (Dub) Hay joined Starbucks Coffee Company in November 2002 as senior vice president of coffee. Hay’s team oversees green coffee purchasing, roasting, blending, recipe development, and coffee education of Starbucks partners (employees). In May 2005, Hay broadened his scope of responsibility to include all Starbucks global procurement. For more than 25 years, Hay has traveled to the far reaches of coffee growing regions, such as Sulawesi, Rwanda, and Papa New Guinea, building deep relationships with generations of farmers. He is globally recognized as an expert in the coffee industry. Most recently, he was designated as an elder by the Kikuyu Tribe in Kenya. His career in coffee includes executive roles at Procter & Gamble Co. (Folgers) and Nestle USA. Hay also served as first vice president of investments for UBSPainewebber in Sonoma, California. He received his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and his MBA with a concentration in international business from Xavier University.
Resources
This program is from our Stanford Discussions series.
For The Conversations Network:
Play