“While this is not limited to Starbucks, we’re committed to being a part of the solution. 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,” Johnson said in a statement.
After the April 12 incident, the company faced widespread criticism and was dubbed anti-black. However, it is not just Starbucks that is struggling with the racism issue. Early this year, Applebee’s fired three employees from its Missouri restaurant for their involvement in a racist incident at the restaurant. H&M — in January this year — had to temporarily close its stores across South Africa after protesters reacted to the retailer’s online store that showed a black child wearing a sweatshirt with a slogan ‘coolest monkey in the jungle’.
Closing 8,000 stores for a few hours is definitely an expensive task for the coffee company. And this move by Johnson won applauds from several business executives as well as by experts in crisis management.