Starbucks Trudges Toward 2025 Goal

By 2025, Starbucks aims to have 10,000 Greener Stores globally, and it’s more than a quarter of the way there.

On April 17, Starbucks shared that it has certified 3,508 Greener Stores across 20 markets, with each Greener Store combining select sustainable features that help it receive its third-party verification.

The chain’s “Greener Stores Framework,” developed in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund, includes a set of 25 performance-based standards focusing on areas including energy efficiency, water stewardship and waste diversion. As of September 2021, when it shared plans to expand the framework globally, there were more than 2,300 Greener Stores in the U.S. and Canada.

“Some stores have obvious elements like solar panels or water recycling tanks,” the chain explains, “while others have less obvious features behind the counter like high-efficiency appliances, low-emitting paint and sealants, recycling tampers, and energy-efficient HVAC temperature systems.”

Starbucks also announced Greener Stores for the first time in two new regions: Asia Pacific, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa. By the end of 2023, Starbucks also expects to build new Greener Stores in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Starbucks certainly isn’t the only chain looking to improve sustainability. Just last week, Chipotle shared details of its all-electric design, which is debuting at two locations to start.