<p content="Starbucks (SBUX) said it would close all of its U.S. stores on the afternoon of May 29 for nation-wide racial-bias education for its employees, the company said in a statement.” data-reactid=”22″ type=”text”>Starbucks will be closing all of its U.S. stores on the afternoon of May 29 for nation-wide racial-bias education for its employees, the company said in a statement. Starbucks has come under pressure following the arrest of two black men on Thursday in one of its Philadelphia stores. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson has been in Philadelphia and said in a statement, “closing our stores for racial bias training is just one step in a journey that requires dedication from every level of our company and partnerships in our local communities.” On the afternoon of Thursday, May 29, nearly 175,000 Starbucks employees from 8,000 stores and those working in the corporate office will go through training “designed to address implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion, prevent discrimination and ensure everyone inside a Starbucks store feels safe and welcome.” Going forward, this training will now be part of the company’s process for new hires.
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