Starbucks outlets in Ottawa will early this afternoon to allow employees to undergo unconscious bias training.
The coffee giant says “we believe everyone should be treated with respect & want to ensure everyone in a Starbucks store feels safe & welcome.*
A letter from Starbucks Canada President Michael Conway said “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.”
Signs outside some Starbucks stores in Ottawa said the outlets will close at 2 p.m. or 2.30 p.m. today.
Starbucks closed more than 8,000 stores in the United States for unconscious bias training on May 29.
The move came after a Starbucks employee in Philadelphia called police after two black men sat down at a table in a Starbucks store without ordering anything. The pair was arrested.
