If you’ve ever thought your commute to work was a little long, think about this: the new Starbucks CEO is planning to commute to his office that’s located more than 1,000 miles away from his family home.
It’s not really a fair comparison, though, because the newly-appointed Starbucks boss is planning to make the commute from his Newport Beach, California, home to the Seattle officers on a private jet. And that can’t exactly be a terrible experience, can it?
According to a report by the BBC, Brian Niccol is facing criticism for his plans to travel to and from the Starbucks headquarters on a corporate jet while simultaneously espousing pro-green policies from the company. Starbucks has long embraced green policy, from adopting eco-friendly packaging and cups to cutting carbon, water and waste footprints by 50%.
Niccol is expected to start his new job on September 9, and a spokesperson for the company told the media that his primary office will be situated in Seattle. That doesn’t mean, however, that he’ll be traveling into the office every day – instead, he’ll spend some time in Seattle and the rest of the time “visiting partners and customers” in locations all over the world. Niccol will only spend time in the office when it allows him to “perform [his] duties and responsibilities,” according to the official job offer. The jet will also be used for “business-related travel,” and it will no doubt be equipped with the tools he needs to either work or relax as he makes the grueling journey between home and the office.
On the one hand, it’s exactly the kind of thing you might expect from a massive company that wants to attract the best talent to run its company. On the other hand, it flies in the face of the green messaging the company has pushed for many years. For example, Starbucks has certified more than 6,000 stores globally under the new “Greener Stores” framework that is designed to introduce sustainable features to their buildings, including waste reduction infrastructure and water-saving measures. The company has also committed to sustainable coffee sourcing and creating more reusable packaging. How does this square with commuting 1,000 miles to the office?
Come on…
